So often these early lessons of long past days come back to haunt us. For me, they still remain indelibly a part of the principles by which I am guided.

Some weeks ago, I wrote a column entitled 'The claiming system needs to be re-examined'.

This article looked at the ownership structure of racing today, and the influence that the claiming system has had on attracting into racing those who could least afford the expenses of keeping and caring for horses ,whose performance we view with excitement and pleasure each week. That article prompted some very interesting commentaries.

Racing is clearly an expensive sport, whether as a business or as a 'social pastime'. The sport and the animals at its centre can only suffer if those who aspire to participate in the ownership of horse and stables cannot afford the cost.

It is expensive enough to keep a horse in healthy condition by grazing. One needs a large acreage of grassy land. But equine athletes require as much attention and care as do their human counterparts. In the days gone by the cost was even higher than they are today, and could only have been borne by people of immense wealth, many of whom had the cushion of free or inexpensive labour.

Today the figures speak for themselves: It costs $1,500 per day to keep a horse in training. In addition one is faced with a relentless assault of fees, costs and charges to pay for the services of a veterinarian, exercise riders, etc.

Training regimen

The training regimen usually includes trips to the sea/pool for swimming exercise. Proper care and attention extends to air conditioning for stables, transportation equipment, medication and much more.

Of course, this assumes that you already own a good racehorse. If you bought it, you could have spent anything from hundreds of thousands to a few million dollars.

After you've done all of this, you have absolutely no guarantee of a return on your money.

Breeding is another area where fools rush in and wise men fear to tread. The stud fee to service a mare will cost you $40,000.00 or more, to which one has to add the $500.00 per day charge until 'something takes place'.

In addition to this, there are veterinary costs, supplements, etc. Then, there is no guarantee that the foal will survive or that it will have the correct confirmation to reach racing status and this after incurring costs for some 24 months.

A former minister of govern-ment proudly claims that his greatest contribution to racing was the fact that he had championed the "socialising of the industry".

Of course, it is possible for events to conspire to put horse ownership within reach of the 'small man', but this is simply illusionary.

First you have to set up a pernicious "claiming race system" in which old nags perform an exercise that vaguely resembles the noble competition of speed, strength and will that prime thoroughbreds deliver.

Compromise standards

Next, you have to compromise standards, probably to the extent of permitting horses to be raced with faked veterinary certificates. At the end of the day, what you have developed is something that bears only superficial resemblance to what it aspires to be.

It is this farcical process that so disheartens me as I observe the deterioration of horse racing in Jamaica.

What it does is inflict unnecessary suffering on animals that, in giving their all in race after race, year after year have earned a right to a humane and dignified exit from the track. Not to be abandoned on the roads in St Catherine to forage like feral animals for food among the garbage and scraps that litter our sidewalks.

It impoverishes a sport that has the potential to make an infinitely greater economic contribution to Jamaica than it is doing. Finally, it cheats the turfite of the chance to enjoy a once noble sport.

I do not believe, and will never accept, the seemingly popular notion that it is necessary to reduce everything to the level of the lowest common denominator for it to be socially acceptable in today's Jamaica. Those things that are costly to do are best left to those who can afford to do them.

The sad fact is that horse racing in Jamaica today is beginning to have as much resemblance to the real thing as miniature golf has to its namesake. That's my 10 cents' worth on the matter and no amount of 'pontificating' and 'breast beating' will have me change my mind.