It was 1973 and I was at Roosevelt Raceway standing behind 20 others waiting to make a bet on a race. The late Jack Lee made the announcement "The marshal calls the pacers," an indication at the time that the race was about to go off and ultimately end the chance for me to get a bet in before the bell rang. A few tellers over stood a tall, well-dressed grey-haired man with a briefcase directly in front of a teller at the $50 window. There was no line in front of him or behind. The teller was his and I watched as he called out bets and the teller responded, punching multiple tickets. When the bell went off, I was fifth in line and shut out, but that guy who had easy access to the $50 teller was counting the stack of his tickets as the race commenced. I later found out that it was Morty Finder, believed at the time to be the biggest bettor nightly at the track that was afforded the convenience of his own window. To me, a teenager, it seemed quite unfair that there was an obvious inequity in the treatment I received as opposed to how Mr. Finder was catered to. We're 50 years removed from this incident and I'm no longer as naïve as I once was. The idea that life is built around a level playing field is a fantasy. What makes it hard for me to swallow today is that the phrase "level playing field" still rears its ugly head as if somehow it's achievable in a capitalistic society. Level playing field is more socialistic in nature, yet capitalists are constantly griping when the game they are concerned about does not offer the alleged fairness. From a gambling perspective, today the balance of power has shifted so far from the days where the racetrack was the only place to play, and the lines were stacked against the $2 player and well in favor of the $50 puncher. The largesse today doesn't come in the form of an exclusive line to the windows, but in some ways it does mirror that as ADWs have flooded the market and given the best players large enough rebates to negate takeout. While the traditional small player now has the convenience of being able to make a bet at the very last minute from his smartphone or laptop, he/she is still far removed from the benefits afforded others that have the capacity to crunch the numbers in various exotic pools and make wagers that guarantee success. If you ask me the playing field has become far more lopsided in 2023 for the bettors than it has for the horsemen or ownership. For as long as I can remember trainers have come and gone. There are plenty of examples of trainers winning at theoretically impossible levels that suddenly disappear forever. Drug use is not something new as the 1970's had its level of bad actors as well. Drugs have changed but those individuals that were looking to gain advantage from them still appear in today's game. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Can we really level the playing field? The short answer is likely no. Since money is the defining goal there will always be those who look to gain an edge by one means or another to profit. That's what capitalism has wrought and while I'm not a fan of those who break rules to get ahead, I recognize that such cheating takes place at all class levels and can't simply be cast at the feet of horsemen. As I first learned watching Morty Finder make bets, the monied class has its own set of privileges that allows them to buy favors that ordinary people don't have access to. Harness racing has managed to survive due to the plethora of slot machines that have replaced racing fans over the years. Some have considered this welfare. It shouldn't go unnoticed that it wasn't just horsemen that benefited from the transition but in many cases the winners were already rich track owners that received a golden parachute from government. The stark reality of life is that it is not always fair. I've seen bad guys come and go and have no confidence that any law can be implemented to forever guarantee they don't reappear in another form someday. My concern 50 years later is that too much time and effort is being applied to a cause that will not reasonably change the dynamics of the racing business. If we rid ourselves of all those that break the rules, will our "clean" game prove to be a better business? It's hard to imagine it will change the business one iota, but it will satisfy a few people. I read the weekly fines and suspensions report the USTA provides online and still see there are positive tests. Some 50 years ago those notices were printed and posted on the wall next to the racing secretaries office. I really don't see much of a difference, just the names have changed. As for gamblers, it is hard to imagine times have ever been worse wagering on this sport for the small player. While in theory the carryover market has given rise to lower takeout, it would seem larger players have all the advantages when huge carryovers are on the menu. By virtue of resources alone, making a score on huge carryovers is just a mathematical equation for those houses that have the means to purchase enough combinations. My recollection may not be perfect, but I have to say that the year 2023 produced more 1-5 and under winning horses than I have ever seen. It's impossible for small players to survive with such paltry payouts. While I don't expect things to level off any time soon, I'm hopeful that 2024 finds more collective efforts to work for the common good of all who either work in this sport or enjoy wagering on it.