What does harness racing need---

[rainman2]

more owners or more bettors?

[Larry Bird Boy]

Neither. Just a good clean up.

[Kirby's Ace]

Enema

[caddy]

more owners or more bettors?

a defined focus.

[Miguel_Sanchez]

Like every other major sport it needs a Commissioner that overseas everything!

[theokodjak26]

Let’s see the people in harness racing have punched the betting fans in the face like one thousand times. Now you want to know what will bring these fans back to trust the sport that earns no trust? That ship has left the port.

[CMJAnew]

Like every other major sport it needs a Commissioner that overseas everything!

This would require the game to get out from under the purview of the states while setting up a league or leagues. Do-able if the gambling side moved from parimutual to the sportsbooks, putting the COUPLING with slots at risk. Maybe a phase out stage over the course of some years. A logical starting point would be with the Hamb-Society at the helm. 

[Raging pace]

Plain and simple ! Stop the the god damn cheating ! Trainers get positives and a slap on the wrist , ban these cheating scumbags for 1 year , then next positive 2 years. Horse isnt allowed to ran either for 3 months or so. Hit them in the wallet. Trainer gets no training bill and owner gets no purse money. Years and years ago there were couple thousand people at the track on a Saturday night.  Lucky to have couple hundred now on a saturday night. To late, you’ve cut your own throat. No one blame but yourselves .

[Grandstand Handicapper]

Harness racing is two components -- the industry and the sport. The harness racing INDUSTRY (inside our industry) needs the same thing this country needs -- to eliminate the devisiveness, the combativeness, the critical, confrontational, the have be right and make the other side wrong mentality. This will allow HISA to be most efficient and effective, because there will be bumps in the road. Success, cleaning up an industry takes place first from inside. It's an inside first job. Success in cleaning up an industry -- is not a destination -- it's a journey. After that, the industry needs a lot more. Go through the first door first, then you can see and look at the second. This has to occur for the industry to rid itself of the "mother wart" issue -- and that is cheating. All cheating.

That which brings us together is far greater, bigger, and stronger, than that which divides us.

The SPORT needs the INDUSTRY to do the above first. After that, the SPORT too needs a lot more. If you want or expect harness racing to be what it once was -- not in stature, but in form, substance, product, etc. -- then you are either foolish, naive, uneducated, or completely oblivious to the change we have seen, not just in a sport, but in the entire world.

[The Thorn]

It needs fans to start.  Go on the street and ask 10 random people if they know what harness racing is.  Over under is 1 who knows what it is IMO. 

Perhaps a young owner with a ton of social media clout and money to burn like Mr Beast could give it a jumpstart as millions and millions of young people watch his every move.

[PineHurstPacer]

don't overlook the lack of new young trainers

[sidetracker]

No casinos, no internet, no sports betting, no fantasy leagues, no cable television....in other words....a time machine, unfortunately. It's the "greatest" sport, because an 18-year old can compete against an 85-year old.

[7minuteAbz]

It's nothing but old men.

[Low Groove]

Nothing can be done. Tracks, save your money in trying to promote.

The new fan who goes to the races, bets a horse, is excited the horse gets to the front, but wonders why his driver grabs up to let another horse go,  then the driver of the other horse lets another horse go and suddenly the horse that they bet is 3rd on the rail locked in, no room in the stretch and finishes 6th.

OH  and try to explain to a new fan why a driver/trainer combo doesn't want to win a NW2 class, although the horse is seconds faster than the competition.

[rainman2]

It's nothing but old men.

I guess you missed the Saratoga women:

Melissa Beckwith
Lisa Z.
Megan Reynolds
Jackie Greene
Amanda Kelly



Linda Toscano

Can others please add some names?