Artie and me go shopping, Part 8
Side tracks.
by Trey Nosrac
Part 1 ishere.
Part 2 ishere.
Part 3 is here.
Part 4 ishere.
Part 5 ishere.
Part 6 ishere.
Part 7 is here.
Almost two decades ago, Trey got invited to a harness racing ceremony at the Bellagio Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. I was nervous because I did not know much about harness racing. I knew a little about the history of Atlantic City because I was engrossed in the TV series Boardwalk Empire and the gangland exploits of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson. All went well. The people were friendly. I did not get wacked or even mugged.
At the event, a man introduced as Gural took the stage, talked briefly, and said, “When the casinos ask us why we need them, we’d better have an answer.” I was not sure what he meant at the time.
We are a long way down the road from that night on the boardwalk, and, amazingly, his question remains unanswered. The casino issue is like a rabid wolverine locked in our basement. We soldier on with our sport and tiptoe past the basement door, hoping the padlock does not fail. Perhaps we should consider a little preemptive planning. I checked in with Artie (AI) for some thoughts.
Trey asked: “Hey Artie, we are in the yearling sales season. The yearling marketplace remains strong. A solid pool of people enjoys this quirky game. But for the long-range survival of harness racing, the people who grow the product — the owners of our horse breeding farms — should create new structures for racing. They should break the glass in case of an emergency scenario. Let me send you some thoughts from an archived column that suggests a private, not-for-profit club structure requiring culling older horses and eliminating the winter racing season. I am curious to see if you find this concept viable.”
Artie replied: “Short answer: parts of your concept are viable and attractive; others would backfire.
Viable
• The farm-led structure (a cooperative league): Breeding farms fund and co-govern a compact race product that aligns incentives. Farms create a healthy downstream racing stage to sustain yearling values.
• A seasonal, scarcity-driven schedule (spring-fall focus): Scarcity helps media and hospitality, lowering northern-winter operating costs, improving horse welfare, and leading to socialization.
• Young-horse emphasis: A calendar that spotlights 2- and 3-year-olds (with selective 4- and 5-year-old features) matches buyer demand and sales-ring storytelling.
Not viable
• The blanket elimination of winter racing is not a good idea. Some regions can and should pause, but a complete shutdown kills year-round wagering habits and simulcast cash flow for partner tracks. Consider a shorter “winter siesta” (six-eight weeks).
• Concerning the concept of “Culling” horses over age 4 is the third rail! Beyond ethics and optics, you’d lose stars just as they acquire names and rivalries. Older divisions provide story continuity, and barns rely on them for cash flow.”
Trey asked: “Yeah, my bad; I should get slapped with a feed bucket for using the term cull (in my mind, this would be humanely and gradually). And chopping off the winter season would be a shock to the system. Can you be a bit more specific?”
Artie replied: “Blueprint (a pilot project for two-three years). Form the Farms’ Racing Cooperative (FRC): A non-profit league with member farms, consignors, and participating tracks.
Funding mix: 2 per cent yearling-sale assessment, enhanced stallion/foal nominations, owner subscriptions, media/sponsorship, and hospitality.
Purses: Concentrate on marquee weekends + fair-circuit finals; fewer dates, higher purses.
Calendar and product: Primary season: April-October (regional festival meets; county-fair anchors). Micro-winter window: Late January-February or none in cold regions; keep a slim ‘training-center meet’ where it’s humane and economical.
Media and monetization: Yearling-to-debut storytelling, owner-experience subscriptions, fair-meet ‘Americana’ packages, and shoulder-programming around big weekends. Sell context, not just races.
Here is the bottom line: a farm-led, scarcity-based, youth-centric league can be viable and reduce dependence on casino subsidies.”
Trey said: “Your plan is a bit of a jumble, but considering you are not human, your heart is in the right place. It irks me that a track has nothing to fall back on when the revenue dries up. Recently, a track I had never heard of, Fraser Downs, was here one day and was gone the next. This harness racing outpost sank like a stone without a ripple. Fallback tracks should be at least in the experimental stage, and some money should be in the bank for that stormy day. The farm operators should be the driving force.”
Artie replied: “The breeding farms have the most to lose if subsidies collapse. Without racing, their yearlings lose market value overnight. That means farms must also carry a bigger share of the burden if we want a new, independent harness racing future: Farm-Led Cooperative Model, with the mission of building an economic engine for harness racing that does not depend on casino subsidies.
“Anchor funding in the farms in state-based programs that already organize owners, breeders, and tracks around a shared identity. The key pillars are: Scarcity and focus, fewer dates, stronger fields, better betting product. State identity that ties programs to pride (Ohio, Indiana, PA, NJ, KY, ON). Heritage and storytelling with county fair and regional roots presented as Americana. Technology for welfare, where biometrics/3D scans protect horses first, not replacing horsepeople.
“Why this works – Demand is proven: Lexington, Harrisburg is consistently strong, and Ohio and Indiana sales are surging. Farms benefit twice: yearling values hold/grow, and racing stays viable for buyers. States already have infrastructure: sire stakes programs, sale companies, and fairs form a ready-made backbone. Would you like more details and specific data?”
Trey said: “No, my head is already spinning. If a group of farm owners is interested, they can get their own artificial intelligence guru. Let’s assume a concept of this ilk has a kernel of a good idea, and let’s assume I find myself in a room full of breeding farm owners. Put some words in my mouth.”
Artie replied: “We all know harness racing as we know it is standing on a fragile foundation. The casino subsidies we’ve leaned on for years are not guaranteed, and when they falter, your businesses — your farms, our yearling markets, your livelihoods — will feel the shock.
“I’m not here to talk about doom and gloom. I’m here to talk about control. A chance to create a funding engine of your own — modest, fair, and sustainable — that protects the value of the horses we breed and the future of the sport we love. Not a tax; this is self-insurance. It is stewardship. It is our opportunity to secure harness racing’s tomorrow, together, before someone else decides our fate for us.”
Trey said: “Not bad. Now create one of those spiffy charts for a deck pitch.”
Artie replied:
