Mike Repole with Forte at Churchill Downs. (JennyPhoto/Past The Wire)
Mike Repole’s Passionate Open Letter to Horse Racing
It will be interesting to see the response if any to Mike’s letter. I personally have been writing about the need for a central governing body including a Commissioner and the responsibilities they would have to undertake and the type of authority they’d need to be successful for about 10 years. Many agreed, but deaf ears from the powers that be. It would be a complicated process for an industry that can’t even seem to stagger post times for stake races on our big days but hey we can hope. The selection process for a Commissioner would also be interesting if we as an industry ever agreed to have one. For sure it would be odds on the major stake holders would all have their own choices. Anti trade laws have been waived for for major sports so that would have to come in play and the role of HISA along side a governing body would have to be clearly defined. I believe with time HISA can make improvements despite resistance and yes some stumbling out of the gate by this new still evolving concept and organization. Some improvement is not enough. We need overhaul. If we don’t get it the conversations 10 years from now could be quite different from the ones today and 10 years ago when I first started writing about ths.
Jonathan Stettin
Champion race horse Forte’s passionate owner issue a plea to horse racing on twitter asking the industry to reassess itself. Here is Mike Repole’s statement:
ATTENTION ENTIRE HORSE RACING INDUSTRY:
I am calling for immediate action in the vision, the strategy of changing and evolving this great game we all LOVE.
Either we’re an agent for change and evolution or we are on the side of stubborn, traditionalist self-inflicted demise of the sport.
This beautiful sport is in dire need of a governing body and a national commissioner that will work with states, tracks, trainers, jockeys, farms, vets, auction companies, marketing / PR, current unproductive boards, track employees, the media, the bettor, the fans and most importantly the HORSES. This new governing body and national commission will work side by side with HISA, whose most important and primary focus will be horse safety and integrity.
Horse racing needs real leadership and oversight that will market, communicate, educate the industry and increase transparency.
Please read the below article.
Retweet if you’re in favor of change and evolution. If you’re not in favor, continue to do what the game has done the last 50 years and ignore the obvious issues of this wonderful sport. Decide if you want to be a productive agent of change. If you agree thank you. And if you don’t like change, evolution and real leadership, then you’re part of the problem. I’m calling for transparency but without a strong vision and marketing plan, communication, alignment and education, transparency doesn’t work. Let’s have a great and amazing Belmont Stakes Day. God Bless everyone and God Bless the horses.
Repole also encouraged his followers to read this article in BloodHorse. We will gladly honor Mike’s request with the link. “Last Five Weeks an Upsetting Time for Team Forte“
