House Rules

Ok, not this House, but today Del Mar announced the adoption of a "house rule" which requires riders to use a new low impact whip. The whip is designed to spur horses through sound rather than via impact. While not mentioned in the article, through e-mail communications with the NTRA, I learned that the adoption of the "house rule" by Del Mar was to gain accreditation with the NTRA's Safety and Integrity Alliance.

I think that the use of "house rules" is an excellent direction for tracks to take if they want to go "above and beyond" and stand out amongst their peers. A track that stands out among their peers is more likely to capture more wagering dollars.

One house rule I'd love to see is closing pools one minute to post or when the first horse enters the gate. Adopting this as a house rule would help circumvent the current political deadlock affecting our leadership. For example on July 23rd, the California Horse Racing Board spent significant time explaining how the pools are perfectly fine as they are. Regardless of whether an advantage is being given to certain bettors or not, a rule to close pools early is about perception. If horse racing wants more customers to perceive the sport as being fair then they need to pass "house rules" which improve the perception. House rules should not be necessary; if our leadership is not willing to do the right thing then the tracks should.

With many tracks being private enterprise they hold the ability to refuse service to anyone in a non-discriminatory manner. For example a track could have its own medication rules that imposes a "water and oats only" situation ten days prior to a race. They could also impose huge fines if anyone is found guilty of a drug infraction. The fines should then be returned to the bettor as a seeding of the Pick 6 or some other exotic wager, returning the fine money to those whom the infraction did the most harm. If trainers do not wish to comply with such new medication rules and fines then they will simply be refused "service". Consequently owners will immediately move their runners to the applicable trainers in order to stay in competition.

If you think these ideas are new, they are not. I've read about returning fine money to the bettor several years ago. I am not certain why it has taken this long for positive change to take place but eventually it will if the customer keeps demanding it.

Perseverance!