by Bob Carson

Editor’s Note: The USTA website is pleased to present freelance writer Bob Carson and his popular “Outside the Box” features. This monthly series is a menu of outlandish proposals presented with a wink — but the purpose behind them is serious. The views contained in this column are that of the author alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of the United States Trotting Association.

Bob Carson

My travels often take me past a harness racetrack. As I pass and look out my window, I see the back of the big brick grandstand, a sign with the name of the racetrack and a huge, often empty, parking lot. Every car that travels this road will see the same parking lot, sign and building.

This racetrack parking lot, where thousands of cars whizz by daily, does not make a positive impression on civilians who pass the premises. A simple, cost effective, reasonable plan to improve the product of harness racing could improve our picture. Perhaps it could become Standardbred operating procedure.

Each year since becoming a horse racing fan and gambler, I make about a half-dozen annual visits to this racetrack. Amazingly, for my first five years, I never saw a racehorse without his sulky or racing paraphernalia, never watched one of these wondrous creatures romp in a pasture. This is quite amazing when less than 200 yards away, behind the forbidding gates of the backstretch are barns filled with more than 600 race horses.

Why doesn’t the management replace this empty parking lot with a large grassy fenced in pasture with beautiful horses grazing and frolicking. Why don’t racetracks turn this concrete wasteland into an appealing attraction?

Granted, this idea could be applicable to some racetracks and impractical for others. Urban real estate is pricey and other logistics come into play, but certainly some of our tracks, training centers and fairgrounds would be fertile territory for showing our horses in a pleasing light.

If the project is feasible, the grounds and the horses could be tended by the racetrack or the racetrack could contract with others for these tasks. Whoever runs the programs must make sure that both young and old eyes see a well maintained, well populated, well promoted area that features our biggest asset, the horses. A nice path could surround the paddock where any mom, dad, teenager or retiree could park their car and walk around the paddock while gazing at our horses. A double fence and a few signs posted should cover any insurance obstacles.

It will not be difficult to populate this pasture. Retiring racehorses will be pensioned and spend their non-racing days in a lovely setting. To make these pensioners more than just horses in a large herd, each horse should have a tag, or blanket or some other attachment with the name of the horse so visitors can identify the horse.

For example, a woman, let’s call her Janet, parks her car and eats a sandwich at this new pasture during her lunch hour. Janet begins to watch a horse with three white feet and a white star on the forehead. She walks close enough to see that this horse is named Bang A Boomerang.

A sign along the pathway surrounding the pasture has explained to Janet that she can learn about each of these horses with an app on her phone. Janet opens the app on her device and toggles to Bang A Boomerang. She reads or listens to the story of this horse.

“Bang A Boomerang is now nine years old. He is a trotting horse that raced at six racetracks in his career and has earned his owners, Mable Johnson and Tony Smith, more than $45,000. Bang A Boomerang was born and raised in Lexington, Ky. He hails from a fine family. His name came from an obscure song on a record album recorded by the rock group Abba. Click here to listen.

“Just before he was two years old Bang A Boomerang was sent to an auction in Ohio where Mable and Tony purchased him for $14,000.

“For the next nine months, Bang A Boomerang practiced and trained for racing under the care of a trainer named Clyde Deveroux at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, Ohio. While in training, Clyde learned that Bang A Boomerang has very limited vision in his left eye.

“Bang A Boomerang did not have any success racing at age two. In fact, he never was fast enough to race a single race when he was two. But the owners and trainer remained patient, and patience is an important part of horse ownership. They gave young Bang A Boomerang the winter off and tried again when he was three. It was worth the wait. Bang A Boomerang made it into racing competition at age three, made a little money, and blossomed at age four which was his most successful season as a racehorse. At age seven, a few aches and pains, primarily with a front ankle, led to his retirement from competitive racing.

“Bang A Boomerang loves ice cream. Each time Mabel visits her horse, she stops for ice cream bars. He also is a world champion sleeper. While many horses spend a few hours lying down, Bang A Boomerang spends twice as much time stretched out on the ground as normal horses.”

Consider the possibilities a pasture area like this would open up. An information person on duty could answer questions relating to our sport. School groups could visit. A shelter could be built for visitors. Sleigh rides could be offered at Christmas. It could be a setting for new owner seminars, family outings, wedding photos or picnics. Long time race fans could reminisce. Animal advocacy groups would find well tended horses. Any or all of these would be an improvement over an empty parking lot.

Why not put some of our best four feet forward at racetracks, fairgrounds, breeding farms and training centers that have the space and the foresight.