Harness: Commenting on some current social media topics

Like it or not, social media is here to stay, therefore just about everybody can express a published opinion whereas in the past only certified writers and journalists actually got their thoughts in print.

When something is “said”, it’s basically hearsay subject to the interpretation of the listener who may or may not agree, but eventually the dialogue gets lost in the shuffle. Nowadays when an opinion is published it’s there forever and subject to address by a variety of readers.

Without further ado, let’s address some issues recently circulated on social media.

HAMBLETONIAN HEATS

I’ve yet to hear it mentioned that the Hambletonian is actually a much different race than it was back when I started paying attention to racing in the early 60’s.

Prior to relocating to The Meadowlands in the early 80’s, the Hambletonian was raced in Duquoin, Illinois in the vicinity of Labor Day when most Midwestern stakes races were conducted in heats.

In many ways, The Hambletonian back then was like the Belmont Stakes of today. The top colts got together on the big track for a climactic showdown after dueling through the late spring and summer at the various Eastern locales in such events as the Yonkers Trot, Colonial, Dexter Cup, etc.

Nowadays, the Hambletonian is more like the Kentucky Derby as it’s often the first time the leading contenders come together after but a handful of starts, often in Sire Stakes competition. Thus it would be the first time the colts or fillies are asked to go heats, unlike the old days when they were more accustomed to it.

To deviate slightly, many years ago I asked a Hall Of Fame trainer what he planned to do with his new project (3-year-old Nadia Lobell) as he was now taking her on the Western Swing. She had just come off her seasonal debut qualifier in late July. I asked if he was going to go heats with her in Springfield or Indianapolis, wherever the first stop actually was. He said, “Sure, they all do it at this time.” I said, “But her season is just starting, the other fillies are race hardened.” He said, “You’re right! No heats until Delaware for her.”

Many years back, horses would often warm-up three trips with a last trip maybe 10-15 seconds slower than the actual mile figured to go in, thus I’d imagine they were better conditioned for heat racing whenever it occurred. Nowadays, horses are not warmed up in that fashion and haven’t been for decades, with trainers mostly going one slow jog or two trips of varying speeds.

Under the present Hambletonian circumstances, which call for horses to race twice on the same day, here’s one vote for eliminations the week before and one DASH FOR THE CASH on Hambletonian Day.

ELIMINATION RACES

The Pros and Cons of elimination races have been bandied about forever it seems with many opinions as to what should or should not be. One solution I’ve suggested many times is placing a disclaimer on the program page indicating that “the horses in this race are seeking to qualify for next week’s lucrative stakes final and may or may not be going all out to win this particular race.”

Of course, track officials will hardly be in favor of potentially dissuading customers from wagering, even though doing so would protect the unsophisticated novices from betting on horses not overly extending themselves.

One of the common solutions has been to allow elimination winners to pick their posts for the final.

Owner Richard Young in a social media post had a novel idea suggesting that we go one step further in the process by mandating that the order of finish will be the order in post position selection for the final. Whether or not that would provide more inducement for going all-out in an elimination race remains to be seen. Although with a last place qualifier likely getting stuck in post 10, one would think they would try to avoid such a fate.

A major racing official was quoted as saying that bettors should exercise responsibility for their wagers, knowing full well the way eliminations tend to be conducted.

That works for the seasoned players, but they’re not the ones we need to protect. It is the non-seasoned “ guest” who happens to be there this particular night and may have no way of differentiating between eliminations and finals that need protecting.

MOST INFLUENTIAL STALLION

There must have been well over a dozen names listed on social media as “most Influential” stallion, from Hal Dale to Adios, Meadow Skipper, Most Happy Fella, Albatross, Abercrombie, Gene Abbe, Western Hanover, Valley Victory, Adios Vic and Icarus Lobell.

While all of the above may have some merits, Most Happy Fella appears to stand out. Meadow Skipper may have transformed the pacing breed to such a degree that every North American pacer has multiple crosses to him in his extended pedigree. However of his sons, only Most Happy Fella has a prominent male link at this time. Actually, Most Happy Fella has three very distinct active male lines – they being from Cam Fella, Oil Burner- No Nukes, and to a degree Tyler B.

On the contrary, Meadow Skipper’s son Albatross has no prominent male line extensions as his current contributions are from his daughters, who produced Western Hanover and Artsplace both with contemporary links.

Most Happy Fella’s three active links include the Cam Fella branch, responsible for Cams Card Shark, Camluck, Bettor’s Delight, Roll With Joe and current hopeful Lazarus N. Then comes No Nukes who through his son Western Hanover is the direct male line ancestor of Western Ideal, Rocknroll Hanover, American Ideal, Always A Virgin and their sons A Rocknroll Dance, Rocking Image, Pet Rock, Heston Blue Chip, He’s Watching and the soon to debut Always B Miki. The Tyler B link from Most Happy Fella extends through his son Dragon’s Lair, responsible for Dragon Again, in turn the sire of Fear The Dragon and Roddys Bags Again.

What is noticeable now with Most Happy Fella so far back in the pedigree is just how well these lines cross with each other, resulting in superstars like Betting Line (Bettor’s Delight- Western Hanover mare) Fear The Dragon (Dragon Again-Western Ideal mare), Racing Hill (Roll With Joe-American Ideal mare) Blue Moon Stride (Rocknroll Hanover-Cams Card Shark mare), etc.

Thus Most Happy Fella’s male line expansion from Meadow Skipper stamps him as the most influential of this time.