DURING THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS, I’LL BE TALKING TO THIOSE WHO LEAD AND THOSE WHO ASPIRE TO LEAD, AS THE AMERICAN HORSERACING INDUSTRY ENGAGES IN THE MOST CRITICAL BATTLE OF IDEAS IN ITS HISTORY.

WHO IS BEST PLACED TO STEER THIS SHIP THROUGH THE CHOPPY WATERS? WHO HAS THE VISION, THE SKILL, THE INTEGRITY, THE WHEREWITHAL TO KEEP HORSE RACING RELEVANT AND TO MAKE US CARE?

MY FIRST GUEST IS, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, A DISRUPTOR. A SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE WHO GREW UP IN QUEEN’S, HE HAS BEEN A RACING FAN SINCE HIS TEENS. AS HIS BUSINESS CAREER DEVELOPED, SO DID HIS OWNERSHIP POTRFOLIO…

CHAMPION JUVENILE UNCLE MO WAS THE FIRST SUPERSTAR, INFAMOUSLY SCRATCHED FROM THE DERBY THE DAY BEFORE THE RACE, A FATE THAT WAS TO SPOOKILY BEFALL THE OWNER LAST YEAR, AS HOT FAVOURITE FORTE CONTROVERSIALLY FELL FOUL OF VETERINARY CHECKS AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR.

THERE HAVE, HOWEVER, BEEN MANY HIGHS, COURTESY OF BC CLASSIC WINNER VINO ROSSO, AND BELMONT 1-2 MO DONEGAL AND NEST IN HIS OWN BACK YARD. HE NOW HAS CHAMPION JUVENILE ELECT FIERCENESS AS HE BIDS TO LAY HIS DERBY GHOST.

BUT MIKE REPOLE ISN’T HAPPY WITH THE INDUSTRY - “THERE ISN’T ANYTHING IN THIS SPORT THAT IS GOOD AT THE MOMENT,” HE TOLD ME ON NBC LAST FALL “I BLAME MYSELF - IN ANY OTHER SPORT, THE OWNERS TAKE CONTROL - HERE WE LET THE RACETRACKS DO IT FOR US”

TO THAT END, HE’S BECOME THE SELF-APPOINTED CHAMPION OF THE HORSEMEN -CREATING THE NATIONAL THOROUGHBRED ALLIANCE, WITH HIM AS THE CHAIR AND RESPECTED INDUSTRY FIGURE AND PUNTER’S ADVOCATE PAT CUMMINGS AT HIS SIDE.

“HOW DO WE SAVE HORSE RACING,” SAYS REPOLE, “THIS IS IT…”