Giwner: Are you a Harness Racing junkie?

While putting something in the trunk of my car the other day I came across a copy of The Black Book. Some seven weeks after the Standardbred Sale at Harrisburg was completed, there was the bulky book taking up valuable space in my car rather than sitting on a bookshelf, or in this age when the information is readily available on the web, thrown in the recycling bin.

The presence of the book made me wonder . . . What makes a Harness Racing junkie? In other words, what are the telltale signs of someone who is completely immersed in the sport?

If you have a racing program in your car older than a week, you are a harness racing junkie.

If your last five texts or phone calls are from people involved in the sport, you are a harness racing junkie.

If more than one racetrack is in your previous destinations on your GPS system, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you open up your browser and more than two url’s are racing related, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you are on an industry website or ADW more than twice a day, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you ever suggested the racetrack as a great spot for a date, you are probably a harness racing junkie.

If you make smooching sounds or “go to the whip” while driving your car, you are definitely a harness racing junkie.

If your phone’s background or any of your social media outlets have a picture of a Standardbred as the profile picture, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you can on-demand produce a losing betting ticket, you are 100% a harness racing junkie.

If you aren’t a driver or trainer but have a whip in your car, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you go out to dinner with friends and steer the conversation to racing multiple times, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you have a horse named after you, someone you know is definitely a harness racing junkie.

If you have both Off And Pacing and Catch Driver apps on your phone and open them on a daily basis, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you’ve ever called a race in your head or out loud while driving your car, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you spend more time at the barn than in your bed at night, you are a harness racing junkie.

If you took your wife to a harness track during your honeymoon (yeah, I’m guilty), you are a harness racing junkie.

If you plan a vacation to a Standardbred track when your job is harness racing, you are a harness racing junkie.

If your idea of a relaxing night is sitting in front of your computer or TV watching racing, you’re a harness racing junkie.

If you go on vacation and check the results of races you aren’t in or didn’t bet, you are a harness racing junkie.

Finally, if your idea of a good topic for a column is about being a harness racing junkie, then yes, I am a harness racing junkie.