Fixing Things Vol 1- NYRA

Somethings in life are just simply out of our control. Timing isn't always fortuitous and being in the right place at the right time seems to be as random as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. NYRA is unfortunately privy to these same unwritten rules of life as the rest of us but of course most of us aren't under the control of a strange, quasi-governmental board. There has been a lot of grumbling about the board, mostly because they don't seem to actually do anything of substance (outside of accepting letters of resignation) but as a friend of mine remarked the other day, "board of directors meetings are usually just rubber stamp sessions, the actual work is done far in advance of holding a meeting". So if the NYRA board is to be similar to typical boards and there is little evidence to believe the contrary, who is going to be doing that work that they will be rubber stamping? We know it won't be Ellen McClain who is leaving soon after tendering her resignation at the last meeting. I don't know her at all but unfortunately for her the connection to the old guard was probably too much to overcome. Timing isn't fortuitous for her.

Much was made of the seemingly paltry salary that NYRA is going to be placing on its CEO applicants plates. It is hard to disagree that the sum that they are offering is laughably small considering the job is one where it is close to impossible to succeed in especially considering the restraints in place and the expectation levels of the politicians that are actually pulling the strings here. Add in the uncertainty of the actual length of time that the contract for position can be offered for (supposedly NYRA will be reverting to private control in 2 1/2 years) and the harsh spotlight of the New York press which has used NYRA as a punching bag for years this position can generally be regarded as less than desirable for those candidates who are in secure situations.  This is an issue, a really big issue.

What NYRA needs in my opinion is a difference maker who not only wants the job but is willing to make big changes that may not be popular and in fact will most likely lead to a lot of second guessing. It needs someone who doesn't necessarily need the job for human nature doesn't allow many people to think big picture by taking unpopular stands in the face of putting groceries on his family's table. The person who takes the job needs to have a knowledge of racing's history and an understanding of NYRA's place as a leader in the horse racing industry. They must be willing to stand up to the establishment in both the boardroom and backside. Not being pushed around is a must when dealing with politicians and horsemen who generally both will take as much as possible without regard to the collateral damage they create. 

Fixing Things Vol. 1

Posts on this blog are not intended for a mainstream (i.e.uneducated on racehorse issues) audience and as such we won't be doing too much background. Google or whatever search engine you use has a plethora of information available about the topics that will be discussed here. I'm not a professional writer nor do I claim that the prose found here will be mistaken for anything Pulitzer-worthy and mistakes in grammar, punctuation or some other error that may cause English majors to swoon will most likely occur. The opinions here are mine and mine alone and do not represent any client that I may work for in any capacity. I am not looking to build consensus and much of what I propose will probably make a lot of people in the horse racing community uncomfortable or downright hostile. However the truth is that winning the war of the polls may be a good way to get elected but like our hapless Representatives in Congress, the "leaders" of racing seem unable to recognize the real threats to the health of the sport though they are very good at forming committees and finding interesting places to hold annual conferences.

You might wonder who the hell does this guy think he is in making these statements. That would certainly be fair to ask as much of what I post is based on personal experiences as well as the experiences of the hundreds of friends, clients, officials, regulators and fans of the sport/business of horse racing that I have encountered during my 30 plus years of involvement. I have worked in both the harness and thoroughbred games my entire work life mostly as a horseman but also for a few years as a racing official upon graduation from the University of Arizona's Racetrack Industry Program. I have trained for some of the sport's biggest owners and also it's smallest ones who might only own a small fraction of a single cheap horse, and stabled at the top level tracks and also the (relative) minor leagues as well. I grew up in Saratoga Springs which exposed me to the top level of the sport at an early age but I also worked as a teenager at Saratoga Harness which is decidedly not top level. I've bred mares, sold at sales and bought at those same sales from ranges of minimum bids to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Horses I've trained have won close to 10 million dollars and competed major stakes throughout the country and internationally in Hong Kong. I have been fortunate enough to have been exposed to all brands of of racing and have encountered a wide variety of eclectic individuals that make up the horse racing community.  You may choose not to agree with assessments that I make or opinions that I have but it is hard to argue that they aren't based on a depth of experience. 

I welcome debate but I ask that you respect others opinions and don't engage in name calling but I can't urge you enough to back your views up with a reasonable group of facts or solid hypothesis, not some nebulous nonsense that passes for "evidence" in the sport/business today. I don't mind if you are anonymous because we all know how discussion in horse racing can lead to repercussions from those with opposing opinions which is a reason that I get a lot of positive feedback from many of my stances yet so few are willing to speak up themselves.