Tampa Bay Tote Crash

[Horse’s Rear]

The big news in racing this weekend was the failure of the tote system immediately before the running of the Tampa Bay Derby, causing that track's biggest race to be run as a non-wagering event, and forcing many wagers to be refunded.

Full disclosure: I had bet in advance winning combinations in the trifecta and Superfecta pools, so I am among those especially aggrieved at the cancellation.

But I suspect that the big story has not emerged yet, and will be either the blow that kills racing or catalyzes the change it desperately needs to survive.

Does anyone here have any experience with the cancellation? Bad beat stories? Theories or opinions about what happened? I have a theory about what happened, and I am surprised that so far the industry seems to be getting away with what seems a fairly obvious coverup.

I'm curious if anyone else is following this story, which so far is succeeding in not being told.

[De Troll]

 ....... other than the tote system being "hacked" ..? Seems like almost daily .. I get informed by one of my "IT" acquaintances .. that some large system of note has been hacked ..? There was an article a week or so ago about the new Sports Betting Sites .. not paying off on some large payouts ..? 

[Horse’s Rear]

My working theory at the moment is that it's an extortion issue that they aren't talking about while they investigate.

The official story seems to have been universally accepted without a peep of resistance, even though it is obviously false. According to that story, the problem was a communications network failure that extended well beyond the racing industry.

Except I can't find a single news story anywhere about any communications network failure over the weekend except the tote failure. Which just happened to hit immediately after the race before the Tampa Bay Derby.

Almost every Derby prep except the Tampa Bay Derby is run by one of the big three providers: CDI, NYRA, or Stronach.

But imagine that Saturday's crash was both a trial run and a threat: pay a ransom or expect a cyber attack on the communications network that your outdated tote system relies on. And expect it on the first Saturday in May.

The industry has centered its entire year on two days—Derby Day and Breeders Cup day—and a cyber attack that knocks out communications for 1-4 hours on one Saturday could bring down the entire industry.

And it's clear that racing isn't prepared for such an attack.

[De Troll]

 ........ you maybe on to something.. If what I'm told is true .. only a fraction of the ransom attacks ever hits the news.. On top of that .. not all hacks are even detected ..?
    On another note .. of the hacks that do make the news .. very rarely if ever does resolution of the hacks make the news ..? Mostly it's just some implication that it was a Foreign Military's Cyber Unite .. that "did the deed"..?