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This is one of the most polarizing issues in the world of NA harness racing. And the interesting part is that, unlike some other issues, it cuts across the generational spectrum. Case has been out of circulation for a decade and many of the younger fans that frequent the message boards are only familiar with his story: they’ve never seen him drive or bet on one of his horses. I was called to testify at the hearing about the level of interest in whether or not Case gets his license back, and it wasn’t easy to break it down. For instance, some focus exclusively on the crime that landed him in prison. It all begins and ends there for those folks. Some of them say that what he did disqualifies him from ever being a licensed participant in the sport—end of story. While others say that he’s done his time and paid his debt to society so there’s no reason to deny him a license.
Others concentrate on the fact that he generated so many fines and suspensions for kicking horses. For some of them the fact that he treated horses in an inhumane manner disqualifies him. Others fear that licensing him would invite PETA to go after the sport at a time when it is already in free fall. And for a third group the fact that many of his fines remain unpaid gets their goat.
The notion that he was never accused of fixing races is a major selling point for some.They’ll take a driver who sometimes tried too hard to win over a chemist who is robbing them blind and repeatedly getting away with it.
You also have the “who cares” segment of the harness racing community. Some of them are convinced that his skills have eroded to the point where he would no longer be a factor on the track. Time can take its toll; we can’t answer that question until and if he drives again. However, I believe Case was born in early March of 1961, so he’d be eleven years younger than 62-year-old Herve was when he returned from his seven-year hiatus in 2002. John Campbell is 57 and Cat Manzi just turned 62.
Case apparently hasn’t slipped up since being released from prison, and didn’t commit any infractions while driving at Plainridge in 2008. If Cameron recommends against licensing him I assume it will be on the basis of a sudden shift to high moral ground on the part of the freshly minted Massachusetts Gaming Commission regulators.
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