The Statistic Freak - Lambeth Media

THE STATISTICS FREAK
“I’m a firm believer that harness racing
is a viable enough to stand on its own
without slots, however it’s not an easy
thing to accomplish because the cat’s out
of the bag, the surrounding states already
have them.
“On Hambletonian day there were
27,000 people at the Meadowlands this
year and I can tell you there was little if
any marketing done locally for it. The
average person around here didn’t even
know the race was happening, and yet,
27,000 people showed up. So being objective
about it, I honestly feel it’s a viable
product.
“It reminds me of our federal government,
we go along on band-aids. When
the sport started struggling a little bit in
the 80s, simulcasting came along. Then
okay, everything’s fine. The sport’s struggling
again and now slot money has come
along. Well now New Jersey is seeing, if
you don’t get slot money it’s D-day.
“Some of these politicians have been
saying that as a sport you have to stand on
December 2010 • The Harness Edge
your own. I agree with that concept, but I
think it’s unfair for New Jersey to have to
do that now, when all the other states
have slots.
“Someday, I’m sure, we’re not going
to have slot money and what is harness
racing going to do then? I don’t think
there are any more band-aids.”
According to Tucci, one of the problems
that plagues racing is the multitude
of jurisdictions that regulate racing differently.
“I don’t believe this sport has a future
if you don’t have some kind of central governing
body,” Tucci said firmly. “Wayne
Lucas, the Thoroughbred trainer, has been
preaching this for years and he talked
about it again at the Belmont this year. He
said the two professional sports that are
struggling and having the hardest time are
boxing and horse racing, and coincidentally
they are the only two without a central
governing body. You do have the USTA, but
they don’t have any real jurisdiction.
“I’m sure it’s more complicated than I
can imagine and would be a very difficult
thing to do now because everyone would
have to give up their home rule, but if anyone
is to do it, I think it would have to be
initiated by the breeding farms because
it’s their livelihood.”
With his recent successes and rising
profile in the sport, Tucci doesn’t aspire to
win a particular race or have a large stable
of horses. Rather he prefers to keep 10 to
a dozen horses so that he can follow them
closely, attend their races and enjoy them
with his family. If it becomes too much like
work, he said, that’s the day he stops racing.
He wants to be sure to keep his priorities
in order.
“If I’m talking to people about racing,
I say the day I’m on my deathbed and meet
my maker, he, or she, is not going to care
how many Yonkers Trots I won or how
many Sire Stakes championships I won. It’s
going to be a matter of what kind of person
you are, what you did for others and
how you treated others and that’s what’s
important to me.”
Holiday Greetings
At this time of year I'd like to especially thank all my owners, drivers, trades people
and of course the horses for all contributing to a record year for the stable.
DAVE MENARY STABLES
David, Emma, Alexis, Frank, Todd,
Staci, Dave, Becky and George
Prodigal Seelster winning the
2010 Battle of Waterloo
Iron Horse Photo