Harness: Will the government save the day for the Harness Racing Industry?

The entire country is dealing with a pandemic and the spread of the COVID-19 virus has upended lives all over the world. Harness racing is a sport to some, a livelihood to others and an entertainment vehicle for many. The impact of the virus has been direct and all too sudden for many of those who have spent their entire lives working and supporting the industry. The sport being put on hiatus for an unknown period is a difficult pill to swallow for those whose income is solely dependent on the races going on.

It’s too early to make calculations into when the “new normal” will begin for this or any other industry in North America. With shutdowns put in place and public safety paramount, all we can do is pray for the virus to be put under control and for commerce to return.

It is not too early to think about all of those who take care of horses and could be the most severely impacted with the loss of live racing for purses. With horses in some places being turned out in the field, the need for caretakers can be diminished, leaving those on the lowest end of the income curve in this sport struggling to survive. The $2 trillion package agreed to by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday may hold a bit of a silver lining for those employees who might otherwise be let go during this period. Somewhere within the pages of the legislation there is a summary of $350 billion available to small businesses that pledge to keep their workers during the crisis. In order to keep cash flow, a vital necessity to all businesses but especially to horse racing, the bill offers federally guaranteed loans to businesses that continue to employ workers during the crisis. There is even a provision within the language that suggests loans would be forgiven to those who maintain certain employment levels throughout the down period.

While specific details of this legislation are still being worked out, it appears to lay the groundwork for protecting the lives of those who are the lifeblood of this industry and do the most to protect the health and well-being of our horses.

In many states there has been comparable legislation floated making some loans available that would assist small businesses during this time. While the rates and payback structures differ, they represent an immediate way for those struggling to meet payroll demands to stay afloat.

Regardless of the support available, these will remain quite difficult times. The human losses have already devastated this industry. It’s heartbreaking to see the beloved John Brennan pass from his perch at Yonkers Raceway where he’d been a fixture for so long. One was too many, but when four members of one family named Fusco pass it’s an unthinkable tragedy.

Without question, no matter when racing returns, it won’t be possible to recover revenue that could have been generated from wagering on our sport, or for that matter from casino and sports wagering that have helped fund purses for some time. In New Jersey the SBOA is hopeful that some of the funds that were already set to be allocated in races carded but cancelled might be made available for some form of distribution to those in need.

It’s hard to imagine there might be any silver lining to this situation we are all trying to deal with, but perhaps it lies in the care and training of our horses. In racing 52 weeks a year and needing to go at extreme speeds just to be successful, it’s difficult to assess the impact it has taken on our horses. Perhaps during this period of time where trainers can’t realistically know when the next race will be, all horses will have the ability to reach peak health. Time has been the enemy for many of our horses that had to be racing regardless of minor ailments. Perhaps some of them will benefit from the break and come back stronger.

It’s a hope that that government help can keep stables alive and when racing returns the sport and its horses can be healthy again.