My filly was supposed to run in Indiana, but she was scratched by the stewards. Was it because she was lame, had a fever, sore back? No. It was because I did not get a set of fingerprints into the license office in time. I have dragged myself down to waste our local police officer's time at least 10 times for five different states over the past 14 years. Indiana would have accepted the fingerprint card I provided Florida in 2010 but they “expired after five years” Um, my fingerprints have not changed as far as I know. I have never been arrested. I have only had one speeding ticket in 11 years, yet state after state, year after year all owners go through this. Something has got to give. Just like my Ky driver's license (which I did not have to get finger printed for by the way!!) is good in all the states, I drive in, why on earth can that not be the case when it comes to horse racing?
Everything is so difficult. Nothing is easy in our industry and that continues to be a massive problem in getting new owners on board. Why would my fingerprints expire? Why do I have to do fingerprints at all and feel like a criminal walking into a police station? In this day in age, why is everything not just digital? The kind officer who took my prints told me that they barely even use the “old world style” ink roll cards. That about sums up our industry. This is the day in age where info is instantaneous. There is no reason that the
states cannot accept licenses of other states. It is done as stated above and believe me, there is a lot more risk of injury to myself and others with me driving a car then me owning a racehorse.
Because I am entrenched and love this industry, I do not give up. I just roll my eyes and look for another spot for our race filly. In truth, I had gotten my fingerprint card done, I just snail mailed it…that is another story! instead of fed exing it to the license office. Is it my fault that I did not get the fingerprint card in time? Yes. Is it ridiculous that racehorses owners have to jump through so many hoops in every different state with so many different rules and fees. Yes!!
If there was one body, one regulatory body, these kinds of insane policies could be shorn up and streamlined. Well, she runs in Ohio next since the stewards scratched her from the race in Indiana, so I better break out another owner's application, another fee and pray that they will accept the fingerprints that did make it finally to Indiana!
Update: Ohio only accepts fingerprints from WVA and Texas so now I will have to go back to my local police dept for another round of ink roll on yet another state's fingerprint card. Oh, and by the way, in Ohio they also don't take cash or credit cards, so I guess I will head to the gas station on my way back to Fed Ex a money order. People, we all wonder why things are going the way they are?
Carrie Brogden, Machmer Hall
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