May 22, 2015 – We often complain that today’s racetracks, many now owned and managed by casino companies, ignore harness racing altogether.
They appear to view racing as simply the ticket to alternative gaming, the price of admission.
Recently we were in the audience at a card of live harness racing at Florida’s Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
The place was packed with enthusiastic racing fans outside, on a balmy South Florida evening, and inside in simulcasting and gaming areas.
The track seemingly understands the dynamic, and is willing to say so.
See below examples of permanent and live racing night signage on the property and via billboards on heavily trafficked I95.
Also of note to me is the use of the word “Horse” to describe the action.
Absent thankfully is the word harness, for after all we race live horses, not harnesses (perhaps electrical) or sulkies.
Whether standardbred, thoroughbred, quarter horse, French trotteur, Russian Orlov or Norwegian coldbloods it’s the horse that makes the sport go, it’s the horse that we breed, raise, develop, generate revenue with and honor for their accomplishments.
It’s the horse that earns whatever media coverage exists and the best of them set the standard that all involved seek to duplicate and/or advance.
Harnesslink Media