Horse Racing Digest

            As I often do, I had a brilliant idea the other day.  I decided to write to an outfit known as Century Publishing and suggest that we get together and produce a new magazine titled Horse Racing Digest.

            After all, I reasoned, there is a paucity of horse racing magazines on America’s newsstands, which limits our exposure to potential fans.  According to the Daily Racing Form Annual Sports Attendance Survey, we lost our top ranking in 1983, after 31 consecutive years, to baseball.  We rebounded in 1984, but got knocked out of the starting gate after that.

            My logic was, well, logical.  Sports fans buy a lot of magazines and we could use a few more about Thoroughbreds on the newsstands, not only to attract new fans but to get better exposure.  (Or haven’t you ever found a copy of any horse magazine hidden behind 30 copies of Badminton Illustrated or Wrestling Yearbook?).

            I chose Century because they’re big on sports.  They’re the company that publishes all those Reader’s Digest size magazines every month.  Baseball Digest, Football Digest, Hockey Digest, Basketball Digest and in September will be coming out with Video Marketplace.  And while Inside Sports tends to ignore horse racing, it is also part of this growing stable.

            So Horse Racing Digest seemed to be a natural addition.  I even volunteered to lay out a sample issue, at cost, to promote the concept.

            Now you have to understand that the Digest format is fairly limited and lacks color, which is a bit of a restriction on the colorful aspects of horse racing.  But you have to start somewhere, and Century commands newsstand space because of the diversity of its line.  I figured that Horse Racing Digest would get a place, at worst, between soccer and bowling.

            As a result of my offer/inquiry, I received a very pleasant letter from the president of Century Publishing (which, by the way, is also tied to the CSN Sports Network).  While noting that he might be in touch in the future in case they wished to pursue something such as Horse Racing Digest, he also commented that “over the years we have thought about such a digest but have preferred to stay away from it primarily due to the gambling aspect.”

            Disappointed in what I thought was a good idea that had been rejected, I stopped by the office of a friend of mine the next day who was knowledgeable in sports, seeking some solace.  He allowed as how he had a number of phone calls to make, but would try to spare me as much time as possible.

            “Ron,” he began, “you have to understand their position.  Horse racing is, in fact, a legal gambling situation.”

            “Yes, but that’s just the point, it’s legal.”

            “Good grief, Ron, how could you even consider suggesting to a reputable publishing organization with such a variety of informational publications that they should stoop to publishing something with any kind of gambling connections?  Have you no morals?”

            “But my concept was articles about the horses, jockeys, trainers, statistics.  In their format it would hardly be a tout sheet,” I replied.

            “But you have to understand their position, any association with gambling…oh, excuse me, there’s the phone.  Hello?  Oh, hi Charlie.  Say, what’re the odds on the World Series?  That far apart, eh?  Okay, get me $500 on the favorite and a $200 saver on the underdog.

            “Now, Ron, as I was saying, you have to recognize that there is an image to protect here.  Sports is America, like moms and apple pie.  Just because the horse races are the second most attended sport in this country doesn’t take away from the fact that it involves gambling.  Which reminds me, I have to make a call.

            “Sam?  Yeah, I know I owe you on the Stanley Cup bet, but I did win on the NBA Championship.  Okay, so I owe you the juice, you know I’m good for it.  Can I get down on the College World Series?  It’s over, huh?  Okay, how about a future on the Olympic High Hurdles? 

            “Right, sounds great.  I’ll put a check in the mail.

            “Sorry, Ron, but this is a busy day.  As I was saying, the fabric of American life is sports for the sake of sports.  Athletic competition.  You have to be realistic about these things.  Who would possibly publish a magazine about a sport so tainted with the stigma of gambling.  Oh, there’s the phone again, excuse me, Ron.

            “Tim?  Look, I want a future book on Andretti for next year’s Indy.  Can you get me the line?  Good.  I think that number of pit stops is a bum bet, let’s just go for the whole thing.  Yeah, 40-to-1 sounds great, I think he’ll bury Unser.

            “Anyway, Ron, you simply can’t have a magazine on the newsstands that has an association with something as un-American as gambling.  It’s bad enough that our kids get into marble shooting and such without promoting such evils.”

            “Do you think I should write Century and apologize for offering such a nefarious proposal?”

            “Nah, I’d lay eight to five they’ve forgotten about it.  Which reminds me, do you have today’s newspaper?  The Braves are on TV this afternoon and I want to get the early line…whoops, there’s the phone again.

            “Pete?  Yes, I know my printer has been a bit slow lately, but I guarantee you’ll get the football cards in plenty of time this season.  Yes, of course we’ll include the over/under and college basketball.  Sure, the usual percentage will be fine.  Yes, I’ll be sure he prints the ‘No Gambling’ admonition on the back.

            “I’m sorry, Ron, but like I told you, this is a busy day.  Now, you were saying something about a horse racing magazine?”

            “Well, I guess I wasn’t thinking too clearly, obviously the publisher considers it a real gamble.”

            “Gee, Ron, I’m glad you mentioned that, I’ve got to call Vegas and get some action on the World Championship Domino Tournament.

            “But as far as your ideas on a magazine about horse racing are concerned, I suggest you forget them.  The American public is not ready for a magazine devoted to such a depraved enterprise.”

            “I suppose you’re right,” I sighed.

            “Of course I’m right, the American Dream is sanctity and honesty and purity.  There are no places in this democracy for hypocrites.”

            “I guess it was a pipe dream, to try and promote the sport I love.  How could I have been so weak as to even think that a major sports publisher would stoop to publishing a magazine about a sport that condones legal gambling?”

            “Well, I’m glad to hear you’ve recognized your mistake in this attempt.  Morality in this nation must be protected.  That’s why the 7-Eleven stores threw out Playboy.

            “But your interest in sports is commendable.  Tell you what, I’ll get you on Mike Warren’s mailing list for the NFL and NBA seasons.  I might,” he winked, “be able to get you down on the Raiders at 8-to-1 in the Vegas Future Book.”

            “I’d appreciate that.”

            “Just call it a favor from a friend.  After all, you wouldn’t want Century Publishing to be involved with anything remotely associated with gambling.”