So How About Some Props for America's Best Racing?

So I was at work awhile back and one of my coworkers was going to lunch at Pizza Hut. I was busy with something so she asked if she could bring me back some takeout. I said sure, but told her that the only pizza I didn't want was one that had green peppers. I hate green peppers.

About 40 minutes or so later she brings me back a green pepper pizza. No pepperoni, no mushrooms, just green peppers. I tried to pick the green peppers off (did I mention I hate green peppers?) but there was still that green pepper residue on the cheese.

That was really annoying.

In racing we're annoyed at plenty, too. Some dude from some track will relentlessly tweet "takeout doesn't matter, jack it up to where Turkey's is". There's the guy in the stewards room who thinks the horse that blindsided mine into the infield pond should be left up. There's the track exec, five minutes after I get my pick 4 ticket in, who decides we "better go off the turf now in the sixth". There are horse's running around without testicles, when the program says they've got a couple, or at least one. And the NYRA apologists, holy moly. If a NYRA exec got caught clubbing a baby seal they'd blame the seal.

The point is, there's plenty of negativity in racing and in many cases it's warranted.

I propose we should suspend such negativity, maybe just this once, for America's Best Racing. No matter how many people try to be negative and critical towards them, the promo arm of the Jockey Club and the NTRA has been doing some pretty nice work.

Source: The dude with the Apple laptop is NOT Sid Fernando

Sure I could nitpick that all of my suggestions for ABR Brand Ambassadors were summarily dismissed for some kinda Hip Hop listening, Red Bull drinking yutes. Maybe that hoof locker thing belongs in the New Coke dust bin, too. But by and large they've been doing a good job.

From promoting the sport on the interwebs by creating a brand new brand and website from scratch, to teaching people how to bet at their ABR tents, to humanizing our participants and promoting the horses, to getting the digitally savvy folks engaged on the twitter, they've been on fire.

That doesn't mean everything they're doing is right, or perfect, and it doesn't mean people can't critique what they've been up to. But for gosh sakes, how about some props for the good work they have done?

The video released today shows that they're trying things, they're working hard and they have a passion for the sport. It's infectious. It's fun. And it's great to see.

From an non-green pepper eating racing curmudgeon like me - who has been around the block far too many times to mention in this sport - accept my props and keep up the good work.