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Grits
04-15-2014, 11:01 AM
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84389/tygart-parallels-between-olympics-racing#disqus_thread

"It goes without saying that at the end of day, the tenets of fairness, health, and clean competition are the ultimate goal," Tygart said. "I have yet to hear or see any reason your industry or any other industry or sport that wants to protect its integrity can't go through and have success having a similar process. There is federal legislation out there (for the horse industry). It didn't take federal legislation in the Olympic movement around the world.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 11:42 AM
I would watch this Tygart guy as closely as possible. He tries to present himself as a shy, reluctant invitee, but I'm not buying. Read the article. It's clear that he is up to his eyeballs behind the scenes.

The money quote is a doozie:

Tygart said that even if the federal legislation is enacted, the various stakeholders within the horse industry would still have the ultimate authority of how a drug enforcement plan is carried out.

Whoever believes this is a fraggin low-down, braindead grade A sap. This is Obamacare for Horses.

cj
04-15-2014, 11:51 AM
I would watch this Tygart guy as closely as possible. He tries to present himself as a shy, reluctant invitee, but I'm not buying. Read the article. It's clear that he is up to his eyeballs behind the scenes.

The money quote is a doozie:



Whoever believes this is a fraggin low-down, braindead grade A sap. This is Obamacare for Horses.

At this point, what difference does it make? The industry has proven it can't police itself.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 11:54 AM
Here's an eye-opening article that paints quite a different picture from the rosy one given to his rapt WHOA audience. His "success" with the cycling sport is proving to be a little more ephemeral than purists realize:

http://espn.go.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/10638002/usada-chief-travis-tygart-says-no-lose-cycling-doping

clocker7
04-15-2014, 11:58 AM
At this point, what difference does it make?
That was the attitude toward the real Obamacare ... you remember, how insurance companies were ripping you off, blah blah blah ... throw in the towel, try something, anything ....

Proving again that a cure is often worse the the original disease.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 12:34 PM
I suspect that this character Tygart has a dream endgame for all sports: not just federal oversight, but international control.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10539083/travis-tygart-usada-head-questions-nba-drug-testing-program

Tygart advocates the World Anti-Doping Agency code for the NBA, which would mean an end to the league-run testing program.

Tygart is on a mission, and has been meddling and lobbying hard everywhere.

rastajenk
04-15-2014, 01:06 PM
In an era of crony capitalism, it seems inevitable he will cozy up to the right guys eventually, at our expense.

Cratos
04-15-2014, 03:09 PM
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84389/tygart-parallels-between-olympics-racing#disqus_thread

Two excellent excerpts from the Tygart speech:

“it has become abundantly clear that the many rules and regulations spread across 38 different racing jurisdictions and the vested interests of so many groups involved in the horse industry are not unlike those faced by the International Olympic Committee and U.S. Olympic Committee in the 1990s.”

“Whether through USADA or some other body, Tygart said the most important elements of an effective drug oversight mechanism are not just the policies that are adopted but how those policies are enforced.”

clocker7
04-15-2014, 03:43 PM
Whose else finds it humorous that this proposal for federal control was posted on April 15th? :lol: :lol: :jump: :D

thaskalos
04-15-2014, 04:00 PM
Whose else finds it humorous that this proposal for federal control was posted on April 15th? :lol: :lol: :jump: :D
No one.

You are in a class by yourself. :ThmbUp:

cj
04-15-2014, 05:09 PM
That was the attitude toward the real Obamacare ... you remember, how insurance companies were ripping you off, blah blah blah ... throw in the towel, try something, anything ....

Proving again that a cure is often worse the the original disease.

I know nothing about Obama care, nor will I ever. But I know about racing, and it is the wild west out there.

Personally, I'd prefer we get some Deadwood type justice going.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 05:13 PM
I know nothing about Obama care, nor will I ever. But I know about racing, and it is the wild west out there.
Due diligence would mean looking into the background of past federal performance, wouldn't it?

What you said is a little weird. You wouldn't cede control over another important segment of your life without doing some basic checking. Are you that desperate? It almost sounds like bridge-jumping.

BettinBilly
04-15-2014, 05:21 PM
I have been involved with Triathlon and Cycling about as long as I have with Horse Racing. There are incredible similarities between the three sports that I have seen first hand over the decades. And now, the USOC (U.S. Olympic Committee) enforces anti-doping stringently. Professional Athletes as well as Age Group Athletes are subject to Doping rules and regulations. Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, and other TDF Cycling Stars were the final nails in that tight box of rules.

For years athletes have tried to increase VO2 Max with supplements as well as workout routines. Our Olympic Training Center is in Colorado Springs and that helps build endurance at altitude, but otherwise, companies like GNC have done well marketing to athletes to help them increase their stamina.

Speed and Pace are also highly timed and recorded with endurance athletes.

One different I've noticed over the years is that no one is wagering on Ironman competition. Yet.

Tour De France? Yep. Wagering is to be had.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 05:29 PM
And now, the USOC (U.S. Olympic Committee) enforces anti-doping stringently. Professional Athletes as well as Age Group Athletes are subject to Doping rules and regulations. Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, and other TDF Cycling Stars were the final nails in that tight box of rules.

Well, then you have a considerably different worldview from that of the Mr. Tygart cited in the OP. He still thinks that cycling is dragging its feet. I'll post the link again for your edification. Enjoy.

PS: you can find many similar articles regarding Tygart and his outlook re cycling. Google is your friend.

http://espn.go.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/10638002/usada-chief-travis-tygart-says-no-lose-cycling-doping

BettinBilly
04-15-2014, 05:45 PM
Well, then you have a considerably different worldview from that of the Mr. Tygart cited in the OP. He still thinks that cycling is dragging its feet. I'll post the link again for your edification. Enjoy.

PS: you can find many similar articles regarding Tygart and his outlook re cycling. Google is your friend.

http://espn.go.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/10638002/usada-chief-travis-tygart-says-no-lose-cycling-doping

I get what he is saying. Enforcement is the issue. I've been VERY involved in Endurance Sports on just about EVERY level since 1989. And I mean EVERY level. I speak from experience. The USOC and sub groups (USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, USA Track and Field, etc) are stepping in line.

This article even stated the Armstrong incident that I outlined above.
That really jump-started things.

cj
04-15-2014, 05:57 PM
Due diligence would mean looking into the background of past federal performance, wouldn't it?

What you said is a little weird. You wouldn't cede control over another important segment of your life without doing some basic checking. Are you that desperate? It almost sounds like bridge-jumping.

I know Obama Care doesn't change my life one bit, at least not yet, so why would I bother learning about it? I'm retired military and medical coverage is part of my retirement. Nothing has changed for me at all.

You sure do make some pretty bold, and mostly wrong, assumptions in your posts.

That said, no matter what you think of the government and how things are run, they can't be worse than what we have in racing now in my opinion.

clocker7
04-15-2014, 06:02 PM
I get what he is saying. Enforcement is the issue. I've been VERY involved in Endurance Sports on just about EVERY level since 1989. And I mean EVERY level. I speak from experience. The USOC and sub groups (USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, USA Track and Field, etc) are stepping in line.

This article even stated the Armstrong incident that I outlined above.
That really jump-started things.
I have a prediction that even Mr. Tygart would probably agree with: 5/10/20/50 years down the road, there will be creative cheaters that defeat the best efforts of drug testing protocols, so that medals will be won by the deceptive.

Let me give you another parallel: Wall Street. The feds have been involved for over a hundred years, and yet the situation is still the Wild Wild West, to borrow a phrase from Thaskalos. Insider trading is rampant, stock manipulation is a daily event, and bulk traders and computer algorithms have seized the advantage over Joe Public Sucker. Despite the highest of intentions by feeble-minded dogooders and the empty promises of the federal politicians and bureaucrats with ginormous budgets, mass rape is the basic end product. Sorry to be so graphic.

Now, maybe some newbies might think that horse racing will turn out to be special-er and holier upon the advent of the USADA, but anyone older than 40 probably has deserved reservations about that outcome.

Dave Schwartz
04-15-2014, 06:21 PM
Enforcement absolutely IS the issue.

Cycling took its #1 star, disgraced him and canned him permanently. Ask yourself this: Could racing do that?

Would racing take a top guy like Baffert and bar him for life?

I just could not see that EVER happening.

Again and again we hear, "Well, people have to make a living." Of course, the unspoken part of that sentence is: "Besides, the bettors' money lost doesn't really matter."

cj
04-15-2014, 06:33 PM
Enforcement absolutely IS the issue.

Cycling took its #1 star, disgraced him and canned him permanently. Ask yourself this: Could racing do that?

Would racing take a top guy like Baffert and bar him for life?

I just could not see that EVER happening.

Again and again we hear, "Well, people have to make a living." Of course, the unspoken part of that sentence is: "Besides, the bettors' money lost doesn't really matter."

While I agree mostly, they did get rid of Dutrow for a decade (if you think Michelle Nevin isn't his beard, that is). The worst part of that is that there are much worse guys out there than Dutrow actively plying their trade.

rastajenk
04-15-2014, 06:40 PM
How would racing be served by banning Baffert for life?

Isn't anyone else besides clocker7 concerned with overzealous, agenda-driven prosecutorial overreach by national administrators, who get their positions by collecting scalps more than a record of fair and even-handed dispensation of justice? On what basis or experience is that level of trust justified? If the IRS can be weaponized, surely a nation racing authority would be. Did everyone here check their innate skepticism at the log-in level? I thought horseplayers encouraged themselves to think outside the box, but on these kinds of "integrity" isssues, there is distressingly low levels of tolerance for varying viewpoints.

One doesn't have to be completely satisfied with a status quo to be against a new federal bureaucracy, an egregious erosion of states' rights, and an agenda being driven by folks that want to put racing out of business. For all the words typed in Off Topic about an inefficient government and a bureaucracy out of control, there's precious little of that attitude over here. Very disappointing.

Stillriledup
04-15-2014, 06:41 PM
Enforcement absolutely IS the issue.

Cycling took its #1 star, disgraced him and canned him permanently. Ask yourself this: Could racing do that?

Would racing take a top guy like Baffert and bar him for life?

I just could not see that EVER happening.

Again and again we hear, "Well, people have to make a living." Of course, the unspoken part of that sentence is: "Besides, the bettors' money lost doesn't really matter."


Baffert IS racing, he's going to bar himself? He tells the CHRB how high to jump and they say yes sir Mr Baffert, anything you say.

cj
04-15-2014, 06:47 PM
How would racing be served by banning Baffert for life?

I guess that would all depend on what he was banned for doing, no?

BettinBilly
04-15-2014, 06:51 PM
With regard to "Enforcement";

Agreed. Most of us that are involved with Endurance Sport have often contemplated "What Ifs" regarding doping, and engaged in long, heated conversations regarding how and where and why to test athlete blood. It's been a nightmare until the USOC produced clear guidelines. All Certified Officials of each organization and each Regional Organization Chair (ROC) had to be schooled on how this was going to play out. Now you have regulation, but enforcement is up to the individual organizations. People want Champions, yes? It's human nature. However, there sometimes is a cost.

Another issue that I am surprised has not been publicly tabled yet is that of Altitude Training with regard to doping. Many of our Pro Athletes train in Colorado Springs at the USOC Training Center or even Breckenridge. That spikes their Red Blood Cell count. I remember the first time I was in Breckenridge and went out for what I thought was going to be a quick 5k run. Even though I was in superior shape at sea level, that run killed me. It was more like a 1/2 Marathon. Years ago, athletes would have a pint or two tapped after a month of high altitude training, only to transfuse it later a day or two before an athletic meet at sea level. It was the first "Blood Doping" issue.

Then you have the "Elevated Testosterone" argument. One side of the table will argue that any man whom works his legs to exhaustion for 5 or 6 hours a day on a bicycle is going to have elevated testosterone levels. It's the nature of the discipline. The other side of the table will argue that those level spikes are due to injection or supplement, and not by Testosterone production through induced leg muscle training.

Lots of issues here. As I said, it's human nature to want Champions - Human or Quadruped. You have to wonder what is not caught with regard to artificial endurance.

Fager Fan
04-16-2014, 12:24 AM
How would racing be served by banning Baffert for life?

Isn't anyone else besides clocker7 concerned with overzealous, agenda-driven prosecutorial overreach by national administrators, who get their positions by collecting scalps more than a record of fair and even-handed dispensation of justice? On what basis or experience is that level of trust justified? If the IRS can be weaponized, surely a nation racing authority would be. Did everyone here check their innate skepticism at the log-in level? I thought horseplayers encouraged themselves to think outside the box, but on these kinds of "integrity" isssues, there is distressingly low levels of tolerance for varying viewpoints.

One doesn't have to be completely satisfied with a status quo to be against a new federal bureaucracy, an egregious erosion of states' rights, and an agenda being driven by folks that want to put racing out of business. For all the words typed in Off Topic about an inefficient government and a bureaucracy out of control, there's precious little of that attitude over here. Very disappointing.

Aren't you going overboard given that racing's controlled now by the government - it's just the state governments instead of the fed government. Can you name just one instance of where racing is better off by being run by the states instead of the feds? I'm fine with trading one government control for the other given that racing can only be better by one set of rules across the country. Even if everything else is a toss-up as to which is better, that one benefit is worth the trade.

What's being neglected in this convo is that there's another option for the Feds, and that's giving control over to an industry-run central organization. That's the best option.

Racing would be better off, by the way, for any dirty trainer to be gone. I don't care if it's Baffert or Pletcher or Jacobson or Motion (since the latter's the one held up as the posterboy of clean). If they're not clean and humane, they should be gone.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 05:29 AM
If you like the TSA, then you are going to LOVE federal control of racing.

Robert Goren
04-16-2014, 06:07 AM
If you like the TSA, then you are going to LOVE federal control of racing.Better than what we have now. The question people like you should be asking yourselves is how much money is going to overseas as access to Hong Kong and other pools become open to US bettors. If I can bet a clean product, why should I bet on American races?

clocker7
04-16-2014, 07:07 AM
Better than what we have now.
Guarantees like that are comical.

The federal government cannot even perform many of its core functions, like immigration control for example. Yours is not confidence ... it is silly blind faith.

The TSA is a classic example of taking something federal, bloating its budget, overpaying its employees, and turning what should be a people-friendly encounter into an arrogant, rude, thick-headed operation that hassles grannies for sport.

If that's your idea of improvement ....

Robert Goren
04-16-2014, 07:26 AM
Guarantees like that are comical.

The federal government cannot even perform many of its core functions, like immigration control for example. Yours is not confidence ... it is silly blind faith.

The TSA is a classic example of taking something federal, bloating its budget, overpaying its employees, and turning what should be a people-friendly encounter into an arrogant, rude, thick-headed operation that hassles grannies for sport.

If that's your idea of improvement ....Knock the TSA as much as you want, but nobody has hijacked an airplane and rammed it into a building since they were formed. The same can not be said for the Mickey Mouse security that the airlines provided before.
I am willing to put up with a lot if it would do as good a job in cleaning up racing as the TSA has done in stopping terrorists. Especially since you and the rest of the industry refuses to police yourselves.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 07:35 AM
Knock the TSA as much as you want, but nobody has hijacked an airplane and rammed it into a building since they were formed. The same can not be said for the Mickey Mouse security that the airlines provided before.
I am willing to put up with a lot if it would do as good a job in cleaning up racing as the TSA has done in stopping terrorists. Especially since you and the rest of the industry refuses to police yourselves.

What your forgot was that there was an intervening period after 9-11 where the same security functioned the same, but without the inanity of TSA, let alone its mammoth cost.

That is my point. People here more or less agree that a problem exists. But the disagreement is how to improve it some. The feds have a track record of being inefficient, along with much undesirable overkill attached.

Robert Goren
04-16-2014, 08:04 AM
What your forgot was that there was an intervening period after 9-11 where the same security functioned the same, but without the inanity of TSA, let alone its mammoth cost.

That is my point. People here more or less agree that a problem exists. But the disagreement is how to improve it some. The feds have a track record of being inefficient, along with much undesirable overkill attached. There is no disagreement in the industry itself on how to tackle the problem. Their solution is to ignore it 100% of the time. They have shown no interest in "improving it some". Get your buddies in the industry to actually do something other than deny there is a problem and we can talk. If you don't want the Feds in the sport, there is one surefire way to keep them out. Clean it up yourselves. If you don't, all the tea party rhetoric in the world isn't going to keep them out. It is only a matter of time.

Cratos
04-16-2014, 01:47 PM
Aren't you going overboard given that racing's controlled now by the government - it's just the state governments instead of the fed government. Can you name just one instance of where racing is better off by being run by the states instead of the feds? I'm fine with trading one government control for the other given that racing can only be better by one set of rules across the country. Even if everything else is a toss-up as to which is better, that one benefit is worth the trade.

What's being neglected in this convo is that there's another option for the Feds, and that's giving control over to an industry-run central organization. That's the best option.

Racing would be better off, by the way, for any dirty trainer to be gone. I don't care if it's Baffert or Pletcher or Jacobson or Motion (since the latter's the one held up as the posterboy of clean). If they're not clean and humane, they should be gone.

A very good suggestion and I agree with you.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 03:30 PM
There's are problems with a private organization being given quasi-governmental powers. They can dictate in certain areas, but punishments are a different matter. That is what the court system is set up for. As it stands now, there are fines and suspensions, but those of any severity will be challenged in court anyway. Anyone expecting instant guillotine action for those with multiple drug offenses will be sorely disappointed. Invariably being a civil matter, they will drag on forever an any case that has real dispute involved. (Criminal matters already can be prosecuted, so don't expect much increase in that direction, either.)

maclr11
04-16-2014, 03:41 PM
I know horsemen hate change, but clocker takes it to another level of extreme.
It's gonna take some creativity, but the two or three sides should be able to find common ground. It's not a simple cut and paste answer so I just want to see it done right once and fixed, not rashly experimented with. But carefully calculated change is needed to preserve the game.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 03:52 PM
I've never owned, trained, or possessed a horse. I sat on a pony one time as a 5yo. I am a fan who is just as interested in seeing things done correctly as the next guy.

However, I ingest the history of the sport and am a realist to the core. So I'm not a 20-something who believes the promises of slick politicians, nor a starry-eyed dreamer hoping for a masked man on a white horse. There are processes in these United States that must be adhered to. The design of this country was centered around dispersal of power, and judicial reviews of hasty or politicized action. Wise people rightly fear the accumulation of lopsided control; this country is enduring turmoil right now because of the pendulum going too far. We're broke as a result, with no formula or spreadsheet able to pull us out of the hole.

maclr11
04-16-2014, 04:07 PM
So who would you give power to. You wanna rip down everyone's ideas. Solve the problem, you must know all the answers. Put up or shut up, don't just be negative, let's see your plan. Make everyone happy, I can't wait to hear this.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 04:24 PM
So who would you give power to. You wanna rip down everyone's ideas. Solve the problem, you must know all the answers. Put up or shut up, don't just be negative, let's see your plan. Make everyone happy, I can't wait to hear this.
As it stands, there will never be a perfect solution. So, get over that notion. Regardless of any reform, cheaters will still abound. In fact, like for alcohol prohibition, flaunting the law might actually increase with federal control.

Bottom line, judges will never cede their powers to a kangaroo court, no matter how pure the intentions. So get over that, too. Once you realize that reality, then you also might understand the difficulty of doing much more than what is being done now. (The immigration system is in shambles because of a ruling years ago that each immigrant had a right to a hearing before being deported. Think about that for awhile, and then understand why Obama shirt-tail relatives stayed illegally in this country for decades, delaying their day in court, collecting welfare payments forever. Do you think that horse racing czars are going to elbow their way to the front of the line with a lame argument about the sport being a national emergency?)

Life is hard. Life is imperfect. Horse racing sportsmen have been trying to curb cheating since the beginning of time. Read the archived newspapers about the formation of The Jockey Club, in an era where they actually had more power themselves and had the highest of hopes. They eventually succumbed to reality, too.

maclr11
04-16-2014, 04:34 PM
So your saying just go with the status quo and let the game slowly die like it has been. There's a real positive approach on things. I'm not super extreme the other way either don't get me wrong, but the current model does not work. A good business would fix that. But the game is so divided there needs to be someone calling the shots whatever they may be and they need to make positive changes that promote growth and competition.

clocker7
04-16-2014, 04:56 PM
As I have stated multiple times before, horse racing has multiple problems, several of which condemn it to a permanent status as a minor sport. I accept that. There will be no going back to the days when it was a primary outlet for gambling. Finito.

I doubt that much aid is on the way, or that there is anything that will change the picture much, either. But that doesn't mean that the sport isn't worthwhile at its reduced level. I embrace the game as a reasonable entertainment vehicle. I reject that it is intended to be animal abuse by a majority of its participants.

Job One, however, is defense: protect it from its sworn enemies. Prohibitionists (in the form of animal welfare radicals) are doing their best to undermine its existence. They have inroads to the legacy media, and swamp message boards with negativity, crookedly posing as fans. Surrendering to and catering to their ludicrous arguments is a poor strategy for survival. They count upon demoralizing people, thus the drumbeat from the same few posters you encounter on the various blogs. (First of all, reject their arguments about same day meds; they are a picayune distraction. Banning them would not pacify the nutjobs.)

More than anything, realize that questions of punishment will never be handled bureaucratically. I know that it stings, because swift justice seems so right. But it's not going to happen for the reasons I have posted before. Accept that some evil exists and will forever, but that the net is good. If not, find some other entertainment outlet that more matches your expectations. Good luck in that pursuit, though.

Stillriledup
04-16-2014, 05:32 PM
As I have stated multiple times before, horse racing has multiple problems, several of which condemn it to a permanent status as a minor sport. I accept that. There will be no going back to the days when it was a primary outlet for gambling. Finito.

I doubt that much aid is on the way, or that there is anything that will change the picture much, either. But that doesn't mean that the sport isn't worthwhile at its reduced level. I embrace the game as a reasonable entertainment vehicle. I reject that it is intended to be animal abuse by a majority of its participants.

Job One, however, is defense: protect it from its sworn enemies. Prohibitionists (in the form of animal welfare radicals) are doing their best to undermine its existence. They have inroads to the legacy media, and swamp message boards with negativity, crookedly posing as fans. Surrendering to and catering to their ludicrous arguments is a poor strategy for survival. They count upon demoralizing people, thus the drumbeat from the same few posters you encounter on the various blogs. (First of all, reject their arguments about same day meds; they are a picayune distraction. Banning them would not pacify the nutjobs.)

More than anything, realize that questions of punishment will never be handled bureaucratically. I know that it stings, because swift justice seems so right. But it's not going to happen for the reasons I have posted before. Accept that some evil exists and will forever, but that the net is good. If not, find some other entertainment outlet that more matches your expectations. Good luck in that pursuit, though.

I appreciate your candid and interesting posts, even if you have less than 100 of them, keep posting, keep the good work, i do like reading what you write.

I think that in general, you're right about the idea that there's always going to be some people in this game trying to get over, i think we all understand that cheating is going to continue to exist, but at what levels is the main debate.

While no amount of effort is going to clean up this game to the levels we want it cleaned up to, can't we at least make it as hard as possible for the cheaters to prosper?. Make them work for it instead of just handing over the keys, ya know?


What about my idea of trying our hardest to catch the cheats and punish them? Sure, it will never be utopia, people who live in the real world realize that, but why not have the attitude that we ought to at least TRY to clean up the game as best we can?

maclr11
04-16-2014, 06:24 PM
Sorry I've never been to the racetrack before, but thanks for telling me how it works. I really found that useful. Aid is not the answer you gotta be able to aid yourself first to fix things. And in the industry that doesn't happen right now. Can you remind me again what place is? This is my first time reading the form.

Some of us are actually heavily involved in this game both time wise and financially and would like to see it be around and in better shape in 60 years. For a lot of people it's a career so sorry we don't just roll over and take it. Some of us have a huge interest in making the game improve over the long run.

All I'm hearing from you is can't and don't and won't. There's so many things that can be done to improve the game, so I'm going to go do my best, hope you enjoy your cold realistic view of the world. Sounds like a fun lifestyle. :ThmbUp:

Robert Goren
04-16-2014, 08:01 PM
As I have stated multiple times before, horse racing has multiple problems, several of which condemn it to a permanent status as a minor sport. I accept that. There will be no going back to the days when it was a primary outlet for gambling. Finito.

I doubt that much aid is on the way, or that there is anything that will change the picture much, either. But that doesn't mean that the sport isn't worthwhile at its reduced level. I embrace the game as a reasonable entertainment vehicle. I reject that it is intended to be animal abuse by a majority of its participants.

Job One, however, is defense: protect it from its sworn enemies. Prohibitionists (in the form of animal welfare radicals) are doing their best to undermine its existence. They have inroads to the legacy media, and swamp message boards with negativity, crookedly posing as fans. Surrendering to and catering to their ludicrous arguments is a poor strategy for survival. They count upon demoralizing people, thus the drumbeat from the same few posters you encounter on the various blogs. (First of all, reject their arguments about same day meds; they are a picayune distraction. Banning them would not pacify the nutjobs.)

More than anything, realize that questions of punishment will never be handled bureaucratically. I know that it stings, because swift justice seems so right. But it's not going to happen for the reasons I have posted before. Accept that some evil exists and will forever, but that the net is good. If not, find some other entertainment outlet that more matches your expectations. Good luck in that pursuit, though. Sports which are prospering now are those with a strong central governing authority. They have rules for the good of the sport and they enforce those rules. Olympics athletes can and do get lifetime bans. It can happen in racing too and it should. Right now the cheaters have the honest people in the sport scared that they might face a mistaken harsh punishment in the zeal to clean up the sport. More rational heads must prevail. This sport is not the edge of becoming smaller. This sport is on the edge of disappearing entirely.