By JOSEPH WHITE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The image painted was not a pleasant one as the 78-year-old owner of thoroughbred racing's top horse pleaded before Congress to save his sport.
"We're looking for Arnold Schwarzenegger's upper body and then we go to Don Knotts' legs and knees," said Jess Jackson, owner of 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin. "We don't need all of the inbreeding we have. I go to Argentina to buy horses; I go to Germany to buy horses because they have stronger bones and better knees. We need a league and a commissioner. We need action, please. Congress, help."
Bloodlines, steroids, the lack of an authoritative governing body, alarming figures on horse deaths and a breech of protocol by Big Brown's trainer were all topics of discussion Thursday before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. The hearing was called after Eight Belles broke down at the Kentucky Derby last month and was euthanized on the track.
There was widespread agreement among the witnesses regarding many of the industry's ills: steroids, breakdowns on the track and weaker bloodlines that produce horses that can race far fewer times than their counterparts decades ago.
Consensus on addressing these problems was another matter. That was hardly surprising considering the sport essentially is run by 38 sets of rules — one for each state in which racing takes place.
"We are a rudderless ship," longtime breeder Arthur Hancock said. "And the way we're going, we will all end up on the rocks."
Congress debates intervention into racing safety....
