Cheers to Gabe Prewitt for doing something

I read the story in Harness Racing Update “Prewitt clears the air in Hoosier Park mandatory drivers meeting,” and Jeff Gural and I tip our hats to Gabe Prewitt and the Hoosier Park racing team. Gabe has done an outstanding job at Hoosier Park since he got there last year and continues to impress.

The holes or “courtesy tucks” situation in our sport has continued to get worse at many tracks. This past fall and winter at The Meadowlands, we had 144 drivers apply to race. Eleven were issued warnings for the infraction, while repeat offenders paid $250 to a charity of their choice.

We are a spectator sport with real money being bet and perception is everything, in my opinion. The most frustrating part about courtesy tucks in the first turn is that there are rules on the books that regulators don’t enforce. It doesn’t stop there, though, as not all, but some post parades are terrible (horses out of order, feet out of the stirrups) and talking on the track has increased tenfold over the last decade. No one will enforce the rules so the rules are left neglected at most tracks. It’s all just a bad look! Optics, optics, optics!

We have tried to politely ask our drivers to straighten the post parades out, put their feet in the stirrups past the grandstand while in front of the viewing public, and to stop talking on the track, close the holes, no half-in, half-out racing, no move-overs at the top of the stretch, no kicking, and follow the whipping rule. It works for a while, but eventually, things revert back into the same old habits and we as track operators (the ones that care) are left to self-police once again and the horsemen get pissed off. I understand. I get it. If the judges aren’t enforcing the rules, why should we have to do anything different?

I’m not picking on horsemen and women, but let’s look how far downhill we have gone, for not just these reasons, but a plethora of others as well, brought on by everyone inside the sport (including track operators), that just continue to snowball.

As many of you are well aware, I love horse racing, particularly harness racing, and I’m not mad at anyone, I’m just frustrated that all we ever do in this sport is point fingers at each other and nothing really gets done.

When a guy like Gabe, who also loves the game, comes along, we should all give our support to him in his initiatives. I have seen the comments on social media: “How many horses has he driven?” or “Doesn’t even know how to put a bridle on and telling drivers what to do.” It goes on and on. Many of our drivers, particularly in the winter, are good about these issues and all it takes is a quick reminder. I applaud Gabe in his efforts and I hope his horsemen and women are receptive, as this is important to the perception of the sport and the gambling public. Thanks for listening and close the holes!

— Jason Settlemoir / chief operating officer/general manager at The Meadowlands

More kudos for Gabe

As an avid harness horse fan and better/owner for over 40 years, I was pleasantly surprised to read the article by Brett Sturman on racing integrity at Hoosier Park. I was really impressed that Gabe Prewitt would take on this subject, which is usually not discussed among the horsemen but is very much so by the bettors.

I can’t tell you how many times I scream at my monitor at some of the more questionable drives while slamming my program to the floor in disgust. Hopefully, his meeting was received favorably and we will see a more honest effort for our betting dollar.

One question that I have is where are the racing judges in this matter? Isn’t it their responsibility to police these matters and not the racing vice president? Maybe he should meet with them next?

D. Griswold / Jax Beach, FL

Drivers unlikely to change

Mr. Sturman, to put it succinctly, Mr. Prewitt is “p – – – ing in the wind” if he thinks the drivers are going to change their ways because he requests it. The drivers generally do not see beyond their own self-interests, and although it took a long, long time, they are gradually eroding the game towards its more or less final demise.

Mr. Prewitt likely didn’t intend it as a negative, but he did refer to harness racing as a business. That is a correct characterization. Harness racing is clearly far less than a truly competitive sport.

Gary A. Kay / New Jersey