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A dog in the fight
by Trey Nosrac
EXTERIOR:
NIGHTTIME: A white Tesla glides silently through the night. Two men ride in silence. A soft green glow from the dashboard computer lights their faces. The man in the passenger seat fidgets with his phone as the driver takes his hands off the steering wheel and speaks.
LAURENCE
What are you looking at?
TREY
The racing program for tomorrow night, my filly is in tough.
LAURENCE
How much do you own of her?
TREY
Twenty-five per cent.
LAURENCE
(After a pause, the driver speaks reflectively)
If we turn the clock back to when we were kids on Bloomfield Avenue, the idea that we would be rolling through the night in an electric car controlled by computers as we watch horseraces is mind-blowing.
TREY
We’ve come a long way from 12-year-olds launching rubber band-powered gliders off your garage roof.
LAURENCE
What did you think of the big race, the Hambleson?
TREY
It’s the Hambletonian. I forgot to watch it.
LAURENCE
What! Mister trotting harness guy misses the big day.
TREY
Yeah, it’s weird, but what difference does that race make to me? I rarely watch the Kentucky Derby or the World Series if my team is not playing. Some fans are into champion racehorses, but truthfully, I seldom know the names of the top horses in the country.
LAURENCE
Always the contrarian.
TREY
(Holds up his phone)
The race tomorrow, MY race, that’s a different story. My fixation on that race has no boundaries. I even watched replayed races where our competitors raced. I go to sleep thinking about how MY race will play out.
LAURENCE
Because you got skin in the game?
TREY
Exactly.
LAURENCE
Interesting.
TREY
Why does anyone pay attention if you don’t have any emotional attachment, a wager, a player you have connections with, or cheering for your home team?
LAURENCE
Don’t you think a big race on television would bring some fans?
TREY
Not really. It is one day of an odd sport. It could be sumo wrestling, pole vaulting, or Olympic wall climbing. You may watch for a few minutes out of curiosity, but why come back or seek the game out?
LAURENCE
But gambling on horses is motivation.
TREY
It doesn’t carry the weight it once did. Every sport has gambling. I was talking to a guy last night who is working with an outfit that allows gambling on professional fishing.
LAURENCE
For real?
TREY
One hundred per cent.
LAURENCE
So, how are you harness folks going to grow your sport? How can you grab attention?
TREY
(Holds up his phone again)
My thinking is to lean into the skin in the game. Fractional ownership of a racehorse, or a series of racehorses, could be massive for the people who do not know we exist. Suddenly, you care if it’s YOUR horse, money, or a friend’s horse. If you have reasons, you care plenty, and your attention is focused.
LAURENCE
And this is much more possible in your sport.
TREY
More than for most sports. This phone makes staying involved possible. We have this guy named MacDonald who does this fractional ownership thing, and I would bet money he has brought more interest to the sport than anyone else over the last few years. A dozen versions of him are worth more than just televising a race that doesn’t mean much to anyone.
LAURENCE
Are you one of his ownership groups?
TREY
No. My group may be a bit fractious but not technically fractional. More and more ownership groups are in fashion, and not only is it less expensive, but it’s also more fun.
LAURENCE
And social.
TREY
Yes. I can see small groups of owners, especially younger owners, chatting all day long about THEIR horses. They could meet in real time for races, with plenty of possibilities and a doable niche.
LAURENCE
Now, there’s the old Trey, talking crazy, optimistic, and confident for no apparent reason.
TREY
No joke, I’ve looked into the science of human motivation. The bottom line is that the skin-in-the-game concept is legitimate and significantly ramps interest and engagement in any venture, adventure, or project.
LAURENCE
It’s not for everybody.
TREY
No, of course not. You will always have lone rangers who want to make all the decisions and take all the risks. Good for them, and bless their hearts.
LAURENCE
You’re looking for a wider reach.
TREY
Tell me why we can’t recruit fractional owners from Dubai, Denver, or the Dominican Republic.
LAURENCE
Calm down.
TREY
Reasons to play, my friend. Find those reasons to add to wagering, and we could grow our rather esoteric sport of trotting and pacing horses.
(Pause)
Now, grab that steering wheel. A car driving itself makes me nervous.
FADE TO CUT