Posted on Wed, May. 07, 2008

Racing needs someone in charge

By John Clay

HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST

John Clay

Horse's death brings protest

Comments

When the NBA suffered the embarrassment of a referee involved in a gambling scandal, Commissioner David Stern stepped forward to issue proclamations, answer questions and take the heat.

When the NFL endured a spate of off-the-field embarrassments, Commissioner Roger Goodell stepped forward to levy fines, issue suspensions, and crack down on bad behavior.

But now that the practices of horse racing have been called into question since Saturday's tragic death of the filly Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby, who will step forward to make a public stand on behalf of the sport?

Thoroughbred racing has no commissioner. Instead, it is fractionalized to the point of dysfunction. States have separate racing authorities or commissions, all with differing rules and stipulations. There is no one body to address major issues at hand.

That is especially costly now, when Eight Belles' death has reinvigorated the debate over safety. It's the same debate that caught fire with Barbaro's injury in the 2006 Preakness, but in that case it lessened somewhat when attention turned to the admirable effort and cutting-edge medical procedures used to first save and then prolong Barbaro's life.

There is no courageous, feel-good story this time. Yes, winner Big Brown turned in a historic performance, winning from the No. 20 hole. But how many of your friends or co-workers have even talked about that? All you have to do is listen to the radio or watch the national news to know the tragic and unexplained breakdown of the filly has been the dominant storyline of the weekend.

Unfortunately, the grisly opportunists at PETA have muddied the waters through their grandstanding. To blame jockey Gabriel Saez for Eight Belles' fate reaches beyond ridiculous. And the PETA representative who appeared on Mike Tirico's ESPN radio show Monday was comical in the frozen way she kept to her obviously pre-written script.

Horse racing is not cruel. It is not barbaric. For the most part, racehorses are looked after in a loving manner. As the race analyst Randy Moss told Tirico, racing's dirty little secret is that the horses often receive much better care than the people who take care of the horses.

But, as has been discussed the past few days, it is a sport already fading in popularity, and it faces pressing issues if it wants to survive.

Examples: Breeding for speed instead of durability has made horses more fragile. More horses should be tested for soundness before races, not after. If synthetic tracks prove to be safer, there should be a push for uniformity.

And, as Big Brown progresses in this Triple Crown run, expect to hear more about drugs, especially given the laundry list of fines and suspensions levied on trainer Rick Dutrow for using illegal medications on his horses.

If you don't think those questions need to be addressed, ask yourself this: How many corporate sponsors do you think are lining up right now to advertise on next year's Derby telecast?

The problem is, who's going to lead that push for the changes the sport needs?

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is a promotional vehicle, not a governing body. And for the most part, racing consists of wealthy, influential people accustomed to making their own rules. Few wish to bend to the common good. As a result, there is no one voice above the others.

Like David Stern is the voice of the NBA.

Like Roger Goodell is the voice of the NFL.

Right now, that's what horse racing needs.

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