Federal Regulation gains impetus

[Indulto]

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45424.htm
Congress May Call June Hearing on Racing
by Tom LaMarra May 27, 2008… The United States House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection sent letters May 22 to Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International; Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club; Frank Stronach, chairman of Magna Entertainment Corp.; Robert Evans, president and chief executive officer of Churchill Downs Inc.; and Charles Hayward, president and CEO of the New York Racing Association.

… The subcommittee is seeking, among other things, details on equine injuries; whether racing programs bolstered by gaming revenue use money for research to improve the breed; and whether industry officials support formation of a national governing body for horse racing.

… Congress may look at the Interstate Horseracing Act, which authorizes simulcasts across state lines, including account wagering. The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection has jurisdiction over the commercial practices of sports and gambling.

“Given the benefits of the IHA to the racing industry, we believe congressional oversight should play a role in determining whether the special status of the sport under federal law is still warranted,” the subcommittee letters said.

On the topic of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, including racing, the subcommittee said it plans to "introduce and consider bipartisan legislation to address the problem."

… “The mantra is that the Interstate Horseracing Act is going to be opened up—everybody says that,” Connie Whitfield said during the meeting. “It sounds like a Pandora’s box. It’s very malevolent, and maybe it’s intended to be. Most people in Congress don’t even know what horse racing is all about. I think it would be helpful if we got past that.”

Racing industry officials have said they believe any attempts by Congress to regulate aspects of horse racing would be tied to the IHA given its importance.

… Kentucky Sen. Damon Thayer, also a drug council member, said the U.S. constitution gives certain rights to states, but that doesn’t mean Congress won’t attempt to exercise authority.

“The thought of the federal government regulating horse racing is frightening,” Thayer said. “But if we can’t get it right on the state level, the federal government can and will usurp the right of states to regulate horse racing.”

[Bruddah]

Need. More mindless bureaucratic intervention, from idiots more concerned with profiling for the Public. Congress has fouled up more Industries than horse turds on the farm. There is no way the idiots in Congress should be involved in this debate. Shouldn't they have more pressing issues to "solve" in this country.

The Horse Industry professionals should get their collective acts together and start solving it's own problems, and stop acting like little children, and wanting Big Brother to solve it's problems. If they really want to solve problems in this Sport, all entities need to start acting responsible and do what's best for the Industry, or there won't be one in a few years.

This more than my humble opinion, it is simple fact. :bang:

[JustRalph]

As every day passes I come to the realization that the greatest threat ever encountered by this country is its own Congress.

[Dan Montilion]

As every day passes I come to the realization that the greatest threat ever encountered by this country is its own Congress. Quote of the decade.

[1st time lasix]

Every day in this forum the members cry out for reform in racing. They experience the problems with different jurisdictions and feel the frustration as helpless patrons who are at the mercy of track owners, inept state reps, simulcast broadcasting wars, old tote systems, onerous takeouts and blatant cheating among the participants who go on without any real fear of serious repurcussion. It could be argued that racing needs "a czar" or federal commissioner with real power to get things in line.

[socantra]

Its the same shot across the bow that congress gives to baseball every once in a while.

"Get your s@#$ together or we are going to take a serious look at your antitrust exemption."

I would think it might behoove the major players in the racing industry to start looking at the common good rather than their own seperate interests, or they may find out what real trouble looks like.

[NoCal Boy]

Of course!! The subcommittee chairman is from Illinois and the ranking member is from Kentucky. This is your typical "clean your mess up or we will clean it up for you" tactic. Notice there has been NO date set yet for the hearing (hint, hint to CDI and others!!)

[Bruddah]

As every day passes I come to the realization that the greatest threat ever encountered by this country is its own Congress.

The same group killed Rome and allowed Rome to be slowly brought to its' knees. I have seen, in my lifetime, History repeating itself. :(

[FunkyMonkey]

The same group killed Rome and allowed Rome to be slowly brought to its' knees. I have seen, in my lifetime, History repeating itself. :(

If you are really into seeing history repeat itself how about considering predictions of doom & gloom that never materialize...seems like history is full of them.

[Bruddah]

If you are really into seeing history repeat itself how about considering predictions of doom & gloom that never materialize...seems like history is full of them.

You can't see the forest for all the trees. ;)

[ddog]

Need. More mindless bureaucratic intervention, from idiots more concerned with profiling for the Public. Congress has fouled up more Industries than horse turds on the farm. There is no way the idiots in Congress should be involved in this debate. Shouldn't they have more pressing issues to "solve" in this country.

The Horse Industry professionals should get their collective acts together and start solving it's own problems, and stop acting like little children, and wanting Big Brother to solve it's problems. If they really want to solve problems in this Sport, all entities need to start acting responsible and do what's best for the Industry, or there won't be one in a few years.

This more than my humble opinion, it is simple fact. :bang:

this is so funny.
the only reason the industry exists is due to the gvt granting relief from the interstate act and how about the tax break for the horsemen tossed into the farm bill?

And now the gvt has no say in the biz other than that?

sorry, you don't get to be a little pregnant here.

besides, I have yet to see anything ran worse , including the fed gvt than the horse biz , so I say have it.

all other pro sports I know of have a fed body that oversees the sport.
which one of the major sports is ran worse than the horse biz?

6th graders could do no worse.

[DJofSD]

6th graders could do no worse.

So, by your standards, the Federal government is smarter than a 5th grader -- but not by much! :lol:

[Bruddah]

this is so funny.
the only reason the industry exists is due to the gvt granting relief from the interstate act and how about the tax break for the horsemen tossed into the farm bill?

And now the gvt has no say in the biz other than that?

sorry, you don't get to be a little pregnant here.

besides, I have yet to see anything ran worse , including the fed gvt than the horse biz , so I say have it.

all other pro sports I know of have a fed body that oversees the sport.
which one of the major sports is ran worse than the horse biz?

6th graders could do no worse.

But it won't get a bit better with Congressional over sight. It's a damn shame when, an obviously intelligent individual believes we should let the Gov't be the Physician and remedy our ills. Which I think the phrase "Physician heal thyself" would be very applicable here.

You make salient points for discussion purposes, but we see the way to solve Industry problems very differently. And, you are correct about 6th graders being in charge, because as I said in my original post, all parties acted more like children than responsible Industry leaders and represenatives.

While we agree on many points, we disagree on the way to fix those ills. Let's just say we agree to disagree. Oh, how about Golf. A gentlemans game, run by gentleman. No Congressional oversight needed. In the beginning so was the Sport of Kings. (JMHO) :)

[Track Phantom]

I've played about 50,000 races in my lifetime and gambled on this game more than I would admit outside of this forum. I love many aspects about horse racing and have been playing it and following it since 1986.

However, I would risk not ever being able to play the game again for the outside chance that the sport gets cleaned up. I would rather the Government step in and decide to shut the game down or take away simulcasting, etc than to follow this out of control mess.

Cheating, race fixing, tote board problems, lack of national governance, etc have made me basically sick to my stomache. It isn't the act of cheating or race fixing that bothers me. It's the lack of policing that kills me.

I hope the government steps in and rattles the cage. It is quite clear that racing officials would rather look away from the problems than fix them. The lack of governance in the sport is ruining it in many, many way.