Howard Hamilton
I HAVE been forced out of retirement from writing because of the continued blatant disregard for the important role played by owners in the racing industry.
The most prestigious race on the racing calendar is the Jamaica Derby - a race for 3-year-olds going over 2400m (12 furlongs). This race represents the epitome of achievement in our industry for owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys. Sponsorship of this race is a marketing coup and presents the sponsors with a glorious opportunity to promote their products and services.
Marketing people have an exciting chance to launch promotions building up to this event. The Sponsor of the event this year is Digicel - a giant in the area of telecommunication. You will recall that they are the significant sponsors of West Indies Cricket.
MARKET EFFORT
When we compare the marketing efforts of these two areas of their interest, one pales in comparison with the other. Digicel has completely missed the opportunity of promoting jockeys- interviews, anecdotes etc. They have missed the opportunity of highlighting the role of owners, the contribution of the trainers and others. The Breeding Industry is totally forgotten and there contribution is never recognised.
Commonsense would have dictated that the least the sponsors could have done in co-operation with the promoters is to show some respect to the participants in the Derby by providing the nominees with a number of passes with reserved tables for their "party under the tent".
A check on the other racing jurisdictions shows that participants in STAKES races are guaranteed with a number of passes plus access to the dining room and reserved tables. Food and drinks are provided that day as a token of appreciation shown by the promoters to the owners for their expenditure in the industry- an expenditure which provide no monetary reward.
I sometimes wonder why we continue each year when there is nothing to encourage us. We cannot get a decent seat to watch our horses run. We cannot get the sort of services which provide a decent meal. We are unable to visit our horses in a safe and secure environment. Why continue with this apparent disregard for our contribution to the industry?
Is this to be regarded as disrespect or a failure to appreciate, that in the absence of monetary reward, there are other intangible areas of recognition and appreciation which can encourage owners to continue in the sport.
SYMPATHY TO GROOMS
As an owner, my sympathy goes out to the grooms who seem to be frustrated to the point where they have contemplating strike action. They need an adjustment in their wages. The trainers are their immediate employers but it is the owners who eventually have to pay.
The time has come for a realistic study of the costs and recovery charged to owner by trainers. I have the unique opportunity of being able to review trainer's recovery of expenses from owners at tracks in Canada, USA Trinidad and Jamaica.
In Jamaica I have the further unique opportunity of being able to review the billing practices of a wide range of trainers from the "small" to the "large". What is evident is that there is some need for standardisation. There are some trainers, both here and abroad, who present detailed bills which itemises each cost----none of this nonsense of entries in a "miscellaneous "column.
My overseas trainers often attach a detailed veterinarian bill when they are substantial costs over and above ordinary vet care. Here in Jamaica there is no "Vet Care" and trainers have to administer their own veterinary needs. This is of course unacceptable in any other racing jurisdiction and leads to all sorts of mall-practices.
The fact that trainers recover their full expenses and more leads me to question the need for them to receive 15% of the owner's purse payment also. Every where else in the world the maximum that they receive is 10 per cent. In addition to this the Jamaican owner is unique in the payment of 5 per cent of their purse earnings to grooms.
PURSE PAYMENTS
With all these additional costs facing owners it is time that we become much more pro-active and demand a restructuring of purse payments. My recommendation is that trainers' bills be standardised with specific cost centres itemised and that third party bills be attached at the time of billing. Trainers' commission from the owner's purse should be reduced form 15% to 10% and the 5% paid to grooms should cease. The latter is recommended as a partial compensation for a substantial increase in the grooms' basic wage.
I call on the Owners' Association to initiate urgent discussion with the trainers and the promoters so that we can negotiate an urgent settlement of the dilemma facing owners.
Howard L Hamilton, C.D., J.P., is a former Chairman of Caymanas Track Limited and is the current President of The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He can be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.
