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Before I get ready to head out to the Ralph for my weekly torture session with my beloved Bills, I thought I'd drop a quick note on this week's Poll of the Week. In the TBA's collaboration with THE Knight Sky Racing blog, we are posting at various sites throughout the TBA and non-TBA sites, a weekly poll of the week. This week, TKSR gave me the honor of selecting the poll question. I was a bit hesitant because I'm not very good at these things, but I gave it a shot. You'll see it on the right sidebar and you can see the cumulative results to date.
This week's question is "how widespread do you think "illegal drugs" are in thoroughbred racing?" It will be interesting to see what the fan's perspective is on this. Early results are leaning towards to a heavy to moderate presence. We'll check back at the end of the week to see where folks' perception is on this important issue.
Speaking of voting, first round voting on the TBA photo contest ends today, with the top ten advancing to second round voting this week. Be sure to stop by and get your vote(s) in. My valiant effort for last place with my Precious Passion BC photo looks to be in jeopardy as two wayward souls actually voted for me. No caboose for me.
This has been a busy week for me from holiday parties to charity work. Some of my co-workers and I boxed and palletized about 8,000 pounds of food for the Food Bank of Western New York on Friday. Yesterday was spent with a charity group that I am the treasurer and director of, the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, wherein we gathered a couple grand worth of groceries from BJ's and fruit from one of the local vendors for a food pantry on the East Side of Buffalo, that will help a number of families in need this holiday season. A common message I heard at both organizations, was not to forget them during the rest of the year, as a need is there 365 days a year, not just at holiday time. Food for thought.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
New Poll: Perception is Reality?
Posted by Gene Kershner at 9:27 AM
Labels: Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, Poll of the Week, TBA
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3 Comments:
Thought this was a great question to pose. This issue isn't so much whether or not racing has an illegal drug problem, as what are people's perceptions. The industry, through ack of simple, uniform rules and rigorous testing and enforcement, have created serious doubts about the integrity of the sport.
Whether accurate or not, perception is reality. We've all been waiting for serious reform.
Kudos to you and your co-workers on the charity work! Happy Holidays!
I posed a copy of this poll on a couple of forums and within the threads there were some unusual comments from members:
One of them was "the problem isn't illegal drugs" but "legal drugs".
I think that begs further scrutiny but suffice it to say that those who love this game and love our horses have come to accept the fact that horses will be injected with this-that-and-the-other-thing whether they're racing or retired.
But still that does not absolve horse racing's powers to *try* to clean up the game. Someone must accept the responsibility for the brittleness of the breed now and for the future.
The perception of corruption has been a factor in handicapping since two horses eyeballed each other on some farmer's dirt path.
I toss it into the "trainer's intentions" category. If you perceive that the fix is in, play or pass. Do not believe that if all drugs were somehow remove from racing the sport would be clean.
People play poker, slots, etc. because they think those activities are clean. I'm not sure about that, but cheating will always be part of horse racing.
I agree with your premis in racing as in life - Perception IS reality.
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