Chuck offers rational response to invitation for Federal intervention
 

For those who haven't seen it yet, (as linked on Equidaily and Paulick ), Chuck has penned an insightful commentary on the current mania seeking to guarantee racing's demise via Federal intervention and draconian medication rules..

Do not miss it: The blind appealing to the stupid...

Horse racing in America is a wonderfully complex cross between an athletic sport, a gambling venture and an agribusiness. The levels of competition varies wildly from bush tracks running in Louisiana to million dollar babies competing at historic Saratoga. The sport has a rich tradition seen in events like the Kentucky Derby which has been run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky for 137 years. The exotic wagers now played at tracks across the country have pools that sometimes reach into the millions of dollars with six figure payoffs. The economic impact of horse racing is estimated by the American Horse Council in terms of GDP to be $10 billion dollars in direct impact and $26 billion in total. In 2005 there were over 380,000 jobs supported by horse racing.

Too bad a few people are willing to throw it all away.

It's a very good piece. Maybe Chuck could get the DRF or Bloodhorse to publish it so more people see it.

Already on the front page of the Paulick Report. Well done, Cannon Shell.

That was excellent, Chuck. Unfortunately it will probably go in one ear and out the other.

Great job Chuck!

" It is a piece of garbage that should cost Whitfield and Udall their seats for sponsoring such a joke of a bill." :$:

#6 about 6 mins ago by Stanley
Just curious. Who is Chuck Simon? Never heard of the guy.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/th...-what-they-do/

To think that the 'Feds' getting involved is the answer is laughable. They have such a great history of successful operations.................Fannie, Freddie, Post Office, Amtrak, FEMA. It's really quite unbelievable.

Great response Chuck.

Chuck,

Good insights. Does anyone have a link to the legislation? I would like to e-mail my congressman and tell him to vote "nay" if this ever hits the floor.

It's an excellent article.

Personally I enjoyed the third comment:
"In some ways I can agree with Mr. Simon, the Federal Government bill is not likely to change much."

Ummmm....huh? Talk about a misreading of Chuck's argument in this piece.

now some accuse Chuck of being dirty
can't argue with him so just accuse him of being dirty

scumbags

Well done, Chuck :tro: Glad it will get good industry coverage via PR !

I read the article and while I thought it was good, I don't share the same level of enthusiasm as others. I do agree the problem is a lack of consistent medication policy across the sport but I would ask these questions:

1. How much longer should fans and gamblers be asked to wait until the sport starts to manage the issue itself?

2. What makes US horse racing so very different than racing in other countries with much stricter medication rules?

3. Why don't we have penalties on owners for medication violations? If trainers are held strictly liable, why not owners?

I also found the paragraph where he asked why "these well-heeled people don't ... just prove the theory yourself without dragging the rest of the racing industry down with you?" to be rather odd.

4. Who are these people? And, why should anyone who doesn't want to invest in the negative expectation business of horse ownership be expected to prove anything to anyone?

And I'd also like to ask...




Who does Number Two work for?

You show that turd who's boss!

#3?

This Chuck guy is smarter than he looks!
:D

1. What issue are you referring to? Be more specific
2. Most countries don't have much stricter rules other than Lasix. tht is simply a myth. You don't think there is much difference between European turf rcing and American dirt racing?
3. We have few enough owners as it is though perhaps suspending all of a trainers horses throughout a trainers suspension would give owners pause to use guys who regularly get days.
4. Get up to speed on the issue and ask again. Many of the people pushing this crap bill are breeders who refuse to take any responsibility for the supposed weakening of the breed despite the fact it is they who produce the horses. Like I said if American horses are so weak then why not take advantage of this a create a better breed using foreign breeding stock?

Great article. I always had you pegged as a very smart guy although our opinions often differ.

As to #3. Maybe the economic model is broken... Prices at auctions are absurd when compared to average earnings (And IMHO rigged). They are selling a dream to those with huge egos trying to impress. Trainer costs also are way too high. Smart people aren't going to get involved in a game in which 95% of them are going to lose money. The only people involved are the obscenely rich marks with the huge egos and those of us thinking they can beat the odds. Which nearly all won't. Also suspension of the horse for a extended period would put pressure on the owners to pressure the trainers to be clean else lose the horses. How many owners cry out against trainers cheating but use the same (SS for one).

I'm certain Chuck can address your concerns better than me
 

I'm not convinced that gamblers have a problem with medication rules. If they think someone is cheating they will just bet them. Fans... the only fans I know are gamblers.
The racing in other countries is different. They don't really ask the horses for much run until the stretch. The horses are bred to run long not fast? :rolleyes:

Outside of Michael Gill, I can't think of many owners having much to do with the daily care, medication - etc of the horse. if you take away the purse money from horses that test positive than you punish owner's pocket book. What do you want to do? Ban all of the owners. What if there are 50 owners in a partnership? Have the state take ownership?

imagine John Kerry actually paying higher taxes instead of dodging them. While he blames the system for allowing people to keep more of their compensation.

Owners that complain about the drug rules then take full advantage of them.