Published:
May 5, 2013 10:08 am EDT
Trainers and drivers share the first thing they would change about the sport if they were to hang up their silks and become a harness racing judge in this week's Standardbred Canada video feature.
From small tweaks to racing's rules to sweeping regulation changes, horsemen and women offer a variety of suggestions they feel could help improve the sport's image and create a better racing product for fans and bettors.
What is the first thing you would change about harness racing if you were to become a racing judge?
(Note: If you are having difficulty loading the SC Video Features in HD quality, you can adjust the settings to a lower quality and quicker web stream by clicking on the red 'HD' symbol near the right hand corner of the video.)
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The "Fair Start" rule must be
The "Fair Start" rule must be looked at more closely, and amended to protect the wagering public! How is it possible for a horse to receive a fair start when it breaks stride behind the starting gate, and is still off-stride when it reaches the fair start pole? The drivers should be enforced to turn the horse around behind the gate once they are out of contention! Do they get fined if they do that? The bottom line on keeping a horse in the pool is tax dollars removed on all money wagered on that horse. I witnessed newcomers to the races asking why they didn't get their money back because of their horse being back so far at the start! Please support me on this-it is imperative that it gets addressed soon. Thank you:-)
First of all, kudos on these
First of all, kudos on these great videos. I think everyone in the sport loves to watch them. They're entertaining, informative and educational.
While it's interesting to hear in this particular video what the participants in the sport would like to see enforced, changed, tweaked or removed - I think it would be even more interesting to hear what the customer has to say.
Put the camera and the microphone in the face of the people betting $100, $1,000 or $10,000 a night. What do they want changed or enforced in a stricter, better and more consistent manner?
When high profile trainers and/or drivers are pointing out things that they'd like to see addressed because it is affecting their investment and hard work, just imagine what the bettors are thinking when it's their investment on the line and the rules outlined in that little white book published by the ORC aren't being enforced.
Talk amongst yourselves.
KM
So many firsts! 1)No second,
So many firsts!
1)No second, third or tenth chances.
1)For slow halves.The leader is doing his job, fine every other driver for not contesting the pace.
1)ENFORCE THE RULES FOR EVERYBODY!!!
1) Toughen fines and suspensions Min $2,000 fine..Minimum 2 weeks starting at the end of the race day with the infraction occurred.
1)If a trainer or driver lodges a frivolous appeal ie: being denied or withdrawn after a "convenient" date has passed.The penalty triples.
1)Giving a hole is OK..BUT you had better be pulling out and moving immediately
1)Have the trainers and driver explain to the public the reason for a miraculous turnaround in a horse's performance. And a driver could also explain why while driving the only speed in the race from the rail, he left 5th.
1)Suspend drivers for NOT filing objections!
1)Have judges explain to the public why a certain decision was made..LIVE and in person,not through a tweet.
1)Trainer suspensions are a joke.Do you really expect the public to believe just because a trainer is suspended, they are still not calling all the shots while a second trainer is listed? The entire stable of horses should be suspended from racing until the trainer's suspension is over.If the owner wants to change trainers, they are more then welcome to after that.
A lot of firsts, and it would be a start.
And one more for the bettors. If a horse is suspended via a positive,and they bet through an account, or even saved their tickets, should be paid out as to what they payoff for their horses or combinations would have been paid.The owners down the line get their money. As for who pays for the shortfall, you can decide that, you can probably guess where I'd send the bill.