David O’Farrell is the third-generation general manager of his family’s Ocala Stud, Florida’s oldest active thoroughbred farm that currently is home to 361 thoroughbreds and employs 82 families. O’Farrell also is chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association as well as president and a founding member of the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, created to fight for live horse racing. “HB 105 is a vote supporting a casino and has nothing to do with property rights,” O’Farrell testified at the March 17 Florida House commerce committee’s hearing on decoupling legislation that would allow Gulfstream Park to keep its gaming licenses without live horse racing. “Let’s be clear: Gulfstream Park was granted a license for slots and card rooms because of live racing. Without it, this conversation about decoupling wouldn’t even exist. They leveraged our industry to gain entry and now that they’ve benefited, they want to cast us aside. Lawmakers must decide whether to stand with our hard-working horsemen and breeders, or give Hallandale Beach a sparkling new casino that will lead to the destruction of an entire agricultural and small-business ecosystem.” Thanks to TRI industry partners Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association (FTBOA) for video of the committee testimony and National HBPA for hosting on Youtube. These individual videos are available for any media use as part of the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative’s advocacy campaign promoting live horse racing, starting in South Florida.
Watch the complete video below.