tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post5498042866938118613..comments2024-02-27T17:43:37.207-05:00Comments on View From the Racetrack Grandstand: So Where Do We Go From Here?That Blog Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-43836153193168969222015-11-17T22:21:40.775-05:002015-11-17T22:21:40.775-05:00Just because something has been a common practice ...Just because something has been a common practice since the days of Greyhound or earlier doesn't make it okay. In fact, not doing the best possible with a horse goes against the rules. It's up to the judges to enforce them. <br /><br />States have the following (or something similar):<br /><br />Fraudulent or unsatisfactory driving.<br /><br /> (a) Every heat or dash in a race shall be contested by every horse in the race and every horse shall be driven to the finish. <br /><br /> (b) If the judges believe that a horse is being driven, with a design to prevent his winning a heat or dash which he was evidently able to win; or is being raced so as to perpetrate or aid in a fraud, they shall consider it a violation and the driver, and anyone in concert with him, may be fined, suspended, or expelled and the matter referred to the Commission. <br /><br /> (c) In the event a drive is unsatisfactory due to carelessness or indifference, or is being raced in an inconsistent manner compared to an established pattern of prior performances, and the judges believe that there is no fraud, they may forthwith impose a penalty.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-66137955811370912822015-11-17T19:52:42.446-05:002015-11-17T19:52:42.446-05:00I think way too much is being made of this. As you...I think way too much is being made of this. As you said trainers have used races to set their horses up for more important races going all the way back to Greyhound and beyond. When a horse had to win three or four heats to take a race there were all kinds of strategies that didn't include trying to win the earliest heats.<br /><br />It's up to the handicapper to use what he knows to figure out if today might be the day when the horse isn't raced hard. As long as it's not a lack of effort in order to cash bets, I see no problem with it. These are flesh and blood animals. They can't always go their best and strongest race. If your answer to that is, "don't race them", we're going to see a lot more four horse fields and 1/9 shots. Then you'll have something else to complain about. Lord Neutrinonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-33171127085534854412015-11-17T15:57:58.803-05:002015-11-17T15:57:58.803-05:00If nothing else, the Bee A Magician race brings &q...If nothing else, the Bee A Magician race brings "saving horses",<br />"conservative drives" and series pre-lims and stakes eliminations to the forefront. The mindset of those operating and regulating tracks needs to change. Owners, trainers and drivers also have to change. Bettors know horses aren't machines, but racing them in a manner below their ability isn't acceptable in a betting race. <br /><br />I stopped betting these types of races for the reasons that have been discussed since Friday. I'm sure plenty of bettors have done the same. While the industry cries about declining revenue, it seems the customers (who make revenue go up or down) don't matter.<br /><br />Pacingguy, you've offered potential solutions. They're worth a discussion. It would be nice if those who can make changes would be part of it.<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-47133845091383664022015-11-17T15:11:43.548-05:002015-11-17T15:11:43.548-05:00While I agree there is no love lost between the tw...While I agree there is no love lost between the two, some sources indicate this has nothing to do with their dispute.That Blog Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-45833499976372624862015-11-17T14:57:26.510-05:002015-11-17T14:57:26.510-05:00What Sears did or did not do on Bee A Magician was...What Sears did or did not do on Bee A Magician was clearly taken in a personal context by Jeff Gural. Let's call a spade a spade, Sears left the Meadowlands for Yonkers right after Gural's first season as the owner of the Mecca. Then they had a personal dispute last year when Gural wanted him to drive there for a couple of weeks and Sears blew him off. This is 100% personal.Blainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01099944785495100269noreply@blogger.com