More of the Same

One thing you have to say about Alex Waldrop is that he knows how to play the game--the game, that is, of issuing reports, recommendations and creating alliances that make it look like his organization is staying one step ahead of the Congressional Committee investigating horse racing.

With regard to the newly created NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance, the issue that is the most troublesome to me is the lack of internal leadership for this oversight committee. According to the NTRA press release, the Alliance is "comprised of the largest tracks and horsemen's groups in the U. S. and Canada" and "will be responsible for implementing the reforms." Maybe I'm being a little naive, but it seems to me that leaving everything in the multiple hands of the race track executives and horsemen's groups is exactly what got us where we are.

And as for leaving compliance with these initiatives to the watchful eye of Tommy Thompson, well see my previous post.

The initiatives are, in my opinion, a little superficial but nonetheless provide a good starting point. We have already seen that the ban on steroids from racing competition is less than comprehensive (New York still allows the use of four steroids in minimal doses) and it remains to be seen just what the "placement program for thoroughbreds no longer competing" really is and how it is funded. The Jockey Club has its own thoroughbred retirement facilities but to enlarge these to make them available to all thoroughbreds no longer competing will take some serious financial commitments from many organizations.

To be honest, I think the entire list of new initiatives is just a rehash of programs already in place somewhere in the racing world and there really is nothing new under the sun. What remains to be seen is how these initiatives are going to be held together and my guess is that without a general taking charge and responsibility, the buck is just going to continue to get passed at the expense of the horses.

Of course, I would like nothing more than for me to be proven wrong.