As Thoroughbred racing faces existential crises on various fronts, the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative was founded to oppose the Florida bill for decoupling, Florida HB 105/SB408, which would allow a Thoroughbred racetrack to operate a stand-alone slot and card casino by removing the statutory requirement to conduct racing and fund purses and breeder awards for the horsemen that helped them qualify for the gaming license and supply the horses for the races.
The push for decoupling comes from 1/ST Racing which owns and operates Gulfstream Park. While it is certainly the prerogative of the owners of Gulfstream Park to walk away from racing and develop or sell their property, they do not and should not have the right to walk away with parting gifts of standalone slots and cards from the backs of the horsemen and breeders that are their partners and were critical in obtaining these privileges.
Passage of Florida’s HB 105 would permit Gulfstream Park to sever the legislatively mandated connection between its gaming license and conducting live horse racing. Gulfstream’s ownership, which wants to build a casino and hotel on the property, says that’s the only way the historic track will survive for three more years, but unlikely beyond that. Past performances tell another story: it would end horse racing in south Florida and cripple the state’s important Thoroughbred breeding industry. The impact WILL harm racing and will not be limited to Florida, the effects will be nationwide.
Florida legislators have consistently and historically recognized the importance of Thoroughbred racing and breeding by creating a statutory framework that protects and promotes the Thoroughbred industry. The current effort to pass decoupling is ill founded and will favor one company while inflicting wide reaching damage to a signature industry of Florida and more importantly the livelihood of the thousands of people that rely upon the stability of the Thoroughbred industry.
According to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association statistics, thoroughbreds alone account for more than a $3.24-billion annual economic impact, 87,600 thoroughbreds in the state and more than 33,500 jobs.
It is our hope and belief that decoupling of Thoroughbred racing will not become a reality in Florida. The problem is that the existence of the bill itself has created obvious concern, uncertainties throughout the industry and has likely impacted breeding decisions. This is not an isolated Florida issue; it is a national issue and opposition to the bill includes leaders from throughout the country that actually compete with Florida in attracting horsemen and breeders to race and breed in their state. This bill creates a disincentive to race.
Racing is heavily regulated and continues to thrive in states where the industry has a strong relationship with the legislature, where the industry can tell its story and the legislature can make vital decisions about its future and health. Now is the time for everyone who cares about live horse racing and breeding in Florida–and that should include not just the Sunshine State but every other racing jurisdiction–to band together and tell Tallahassee the Florida Thoroughbred industry’s story.
We need all hands on deck, throughout the county, in every state to fight for Thoroughbred racing now. We must insure that Florida HB 105/SB408 does not pass.