Who exactly IS "Racing"?

[Imriledup]

There are hundreds upon hundreds of threads in cyberspace on a bevy of message boards devoted to horse racing and lots of these threads use the word "racing" as in "racing should do this" or "racing should do that". Racing is short for "racing industry".

This got me to thinking. Who exactly IS "racing"?

I thought about this for a bit and came to the conclusion that there is NO racing. The NFL is Roger Goodell, The NBA is David Stern. Racing? Who is racing?

It comes down to this. There are dozens of racetrack owners out there who aren't racing. They are just using the concept of horseracing as an entertainment vehicle in order to make a financial profit. They are using the idea that horses can run around in a circle and they can take a cut and make money after they give a nice chunk to their state government for the privilege.

Racing is not like the NFL or NBA, its just a collection of individual people, spread all over the country, using the same concept in order to gain a state license so they can make money. There's no 'team' its just a bunch of individuals going for the money grab who just HAPPEN to be using equine athletes running in a circle for profit.

So, to answer the 64 dollar question, there is NO racing. There is no racing 'industry'. its just a collection of individuals going in their own seperate ways, looking out for number one. THey all just happen to have racehorses in common, but that's where it all ends, everyone is their own seperate 'industry' .

Unfortunately.

[kenwoodallpromos]

You are right at its core, but racing is also a loose collection of individuals with a profit and breeding motive who uses racing as a vehicle to bring in handle. TOBA, TRA, IRC, NTRA, CTA, Jockey Club, AAEP, are all non-authority organizational entities who can advise their members; The individual state governments and track owners have real authority. The above is who I call "Racing".
I try to direct general ideas to the organizational entities as well as racing press; Specific changes in rules and technical questions to the real authorities. I try to limit my communications to the above to easy changes when possible.

[FenceBored]

Originally Posted by Imriledup

There are hundreds upon hundreds of threads in cyberspace on a bevy of message boards devoted to horse racing and lots of these threads use the word "racing" as in "racing should do this" or "racing should do that". Racing is short for "racing industry".

This got me to thinking. Who exactly IS "racing"?

I thought about this for a bit and came to the conclusion that there is NO racing. The NFL is Roger Goodell, The NBA is David Stern. Racing? Who is racing?

It comes down to this. There are dozens of racetrack owners out there who aren't racing. They are just using the concept of horseracing as an entertainment vehicle in order to make a financial profit. They are using the idea that horses can run around in a circle and they can take a cut and make money after they give a nice chunk to their state government for the privilege.

Racing is not like the NFL or NBA, its just a collection of individual people, spread all over the country, using the same concept in order to gain a state license so they can make money. There's no 'team' its just a bunch of individuals going for the money grab who just HAPPEN to be using equine athletes running in a circle for profit.

So, to answer the 64 dollar question, there is NO racing. There is no racing 'industry'. its just a collection of individuals going in their own seperate ways, looking out for number one. THey all just happen to have racehorses in common, but that's where it all ends, everyone is their own seperate 'industry' .

Unfortunately.

Isn't that why it IS an industry? The restaurant industry is made up of millions of separate entities from large conglomerates (YUM Brands!, McDonalds) through the medium sized chain operations down to the small-time restaurant owner, some of whom franchise the brands of a conglomerate. All of them are making money from the idea that people get hungry and want to eat food somebody else prepared and they can take a cut after they give a nice chunk to their state government for the privilege. There's no overarching Commisioner of Restaurants, but there are trade groups and industry publications, same as with racing. Where's the difference.

[OTM Al]

"They are using the idea that horses can run around in a circle and they can take a cut and make money after they give a nice chunk to their state government for the privilege."

Just like the bettors. What's your point?

[kenwoodallpromos]

Originally Posted by OTM Al

"They are using the idea that horses can run around in a circle and they can take a cut and make money after they give a nice chunk to their state government for the privilege."

Just like the bettors. What's your point?

Very much like at fairs, etc where kiddies get on backs of pones walking around in circles attached to a merry-go-round type steel frame.
Wait a minute! I think I just gave "racing" an idea how to make extra money while hot walking!!

[W2G]

Originally Posted by Imriledup

There is no racing 'industry'.

Well, there are numerous economic impact studies that attempt to estimate the value of this industry at the local, state, and national level. In that sense racing is a very real industry.

But I also agree with you. I've sometimes begun a sentence or thought with "Racing should..." when in fact there is no racing. Not in the sense that baseball is MLB and football is NFL, etc. It really is a futile exercise to use Racing as a noun, especially with regard to seeking change. Far more logical to replace "Racing" in our thinking with Churchill Downs, NTRA, NYRA, Breeder's Cup, or any other concrete agent/organization that represents a tentacle of this giant octopus.

I know next to nothing about casinos but does "Gaming" exist? The industry surely does. Do patrons or leaders in the gaming industry begin a sentence with "Gaming should..."? I doubt it.