Ross: D. Wayne Lukas: why racing should be run the same way as the NFL

[Andy Asaro]

These comments by Lukas are a welcome and unexpected surprise.

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Excerpt:

What do you see as the biggest challenge racing faces today?

Without a doubt, it’s the medication issue. There’s no doubt we need to have uniform medication — the public are never going to have the confidence they need until we give them, whether the perception or the reality that everybody is getting a fair shake out on the racetrack.

In addition to that, the tracks are like islands. Santa Anita doesn’t give a damn about Monmouth Park. Aqueduct couldn’t care less, if you want to know the truth, about Churchill Downs. They all have their individual agendas, and we don’t have the power to bring the principles of the racetracks together to do what’s best for the sport. That’s our problem.

If you look at our National Football league in the United States, none of the teams can do anything that would hurt the league, or not benefit it. But in racing, every track does whatever it wants.

If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?

The Jockey Club have to step up and declare that they will not sanction or recognize races [at tracks that don’t operate in the] best interest of the sport. That’s the only leverage they have. They’re not going to recognize Santa Anita’s races if they don’t come along and do what’s best for Del Mar. And Del Mar’s not going to be sanctioned if they don’t do what’s best for Churchill Downs. Bring it all together under one umbrella, and you can do that with a governing committee or a commissioner.

The thing that makes the National Football League so strong is they lock all the owners in a room and they argue and fight, but when they come out, they’re unanimous in what they’re going to do that’s best for the league. That’s exactly what we need to do.

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Last edited by Andy Asaro; 11-27-2018 at 09:02 AM.

[thaskalos]

Interesting article. "Gambling does not drive the industry"...D Wayne Lukas says. Makes me wonder what will happen to our game if the Maktoum family eventually loses interest in it. Those mega-billionaire Arabs can get pretty unpredictable, you know.

[davew]

Another thing about the NFL is they do not have states telling them what to do. Could you imagine the problems if each state the NFL played in had their own regulations and licensing requirements? A state paid doctor checking players and deciding who could no longer play that game. A state licensing board deciding which players past indiscretions who preempt them for getting a license to play in that state. The state's medical testing after the win, to see if any players have blood or piss with higher than allowed metabolites for certain restricted or allowed at certain level drugs? A determination after the game which changed the 'outcome' of the game ?

[the little guy]

Yeah, the NFL is quite the model.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/s...aepernick.html

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by davew

Another thing about the NFL is they do not have states telling them what to do. Could you imagine the problems if each state the NFL played in had their own regulations and licensing requirements? A state paid doctor checking players and deciding who could no longer play that game. A state licensing board deciding which players past indiscretions who preempt them for getting a license to play in that state. The state's medical testing after the win, to see if any players have blood or piss with higher than allowed metabolites for certain restricted or allowed at certain level drugs? A determination after the game which changed the 'outcome' of the game ?

This.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Yeah, the NFL is quite the model.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/s...aepernick.html

This!

We are going through the worst period in terms of the success and marketing of the NFL since the 1960's when Al Davis' AFL furiously competed with it. In addition to the national anthem issues which resulted in the black-balling of a Super Bowl starting quarterback, there's CTE and concussions, and declining television ratings and shrinking stadiums.

Not the time for any other sport to say "hey let's be more like the NFL!".

[cj]

Also, here is the beginning of the article:

Who do you believe is the most important figure in the history of racing around the world?

I would say the Maktoum family. They’ve been instrumental in so many areas and in so many ways. I would also put John Magnier and his associates in that category. Economics drive the industry. There’s no question about that. The activity in the sales ring, stud syndications, and the stud fees generated from a prominent sire, all are things that fuel and drive the industry.

So, when you look at that, and you look at what John Magnier has done with Coolmore in the United States, Australia and Ireland, the Maktoums with their stud farms in Kentucky and throughout the world — those are the things that fuel and drive the industry. Gambling does not drive the industry. The purse structure, although it’s gotten better in this country, if we just had to depend on that, I think the industry would greatly suffer.

[cj]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

This!

We are going through the worst period in terms of the success and marketing of the NFL since the 1960's when Al Davis' AFL furiously competed with it. In addition to the national anthem issues which resulted in the black-balling of a Super Bowl starting quarterback, there's CTE and concussions, and declining television ratings and shrinking stadiums.

Not the time for any other sport to say "hey let's be more like the NFL!".

The NBA is the best model right now, not that horse racing could do the same. Just saying it is MUCH better than the NFL if you want to point to success.

[JohnGalt1]

I like that Lucas run his horses often.

At the Kentucky Derby, Lucas trained horses always have the most starts.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by JohnGalt1

I like that Lucas run his horses often.

At the Kentucky Derby, Lucas trained horses always have the most starts.

Lukas.

Surely he's earned having his name spelled correctly....even if he did say some monumentally foolish things in that interview.

[chadk66]

He is right the industry needs a national medication rule with all testing done at the same lab and a national board determining the penalties associated with medication positives/overages. And run the chemists out completely.

[Afleet]

Originally Posted by cj

Also, here is the beginning of the article:

it is hard to grow a business when you don't know who your customers are