I share the author\'s experience of New York racing in the 70\'s.
Great article that brings back memories of the past and makes important suggestions for the future.
https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports/mesquite/2018/10/15/eighth-pole-technology-has-pushed-horse-racing-off-track/1578310002/
A few other (similar) ideas for the future, NONE of which will likely occur:
1. Pay all the money out to the penny instead of letting tracks keep all these pennies on every single race. (Imagine the outrage if all US employers could pay their employees to the lowest dime below what they actually earned).
2. HD cameras at every track
3. Create an accurate/exact finish line HD camera/photo system at every track
4. Make timing accurate for every track, every race, and every horse
5. Uniform testing and rules with all test results public information such as actual levels/amounts of lasix/cobalt/etc found in the tests (bet you see some patterns among certain trainers)
6. End race day medications altogether
7. Larger purses for the Triple Crown races (esp Preakness) and create a real Triple Crown system instead of the fiction that currently exists (Legitimate financial incentives for 3yo\'s to run in all 3 legs. Ie, create a system where 3yo champ is determined by a combination of the Triple Crown and the Travers or some similar series)
8. Create a major league set of tracks and minor league and a centralized commissioner with one office for objections/inquiries with uniform rules for such decsions. Uniform takeout among all tracks at player friendly rates.
9. Instead of touts providing \"picks\" for every race..... some track should change the norm and provide their exact recommended wager to profit on each race even if it means No Bet on this race so beginners might have a legitmate chance at a winning day to attract them to the game.
10. Cooperation on tracks to not run races esp stakes at same time.
I\'m sure we could all go on and on with ideas for the future and what was great about way back when. But Racing is stuck in 1970s technology in many ways (Tote System). None of it will happen any time soon. Racing didn\'t embrace television technology the way the major sports did back in the \"Good Old Days\" to create serious revenue and now it lingers far behind as individual fiefdoms that never work(ed) together for the greater good of the sport. To respond to the article I\'d say Racing was Never on Track before or during the age of technology.
Most of these would cost money that no one wants to spend.
As far as 8, I see that a lot. How are you going to get a commissioner and uniform takeout when tracks are independent entities and state governments/boards control takeout? It would be like getting forcing Burger King, McDonald\'s and Wendy\'s to be run by a commissioner and charge the same prices for the same menu.
Don\'t allow the dishonest people to participate in any aspect of the sport. One strike and they are out. Horses included.+
Come on Fairmount, lets be real..Number 9, you want the tracks to advise people NOT to bet a race if it comes up bad? At Santa Anita that would be half of every card!
11). A single governing body to rule on DQ’s so we have consistency at every race track. It would be similar to MLB instant replay.