Press Releases

Video: Teresa Palmer: HB 105 will have not just economic impact but family impact

“Please consider not only the economic impact but the family impact this bill would have on our beautiful state and its beautiful rural and agricultural communities.” That’s FTBOA member Teresa Palmer, who with her husband owns and operates a 125-acre breeding and training facility in Morriston, Fla.

Video: Teresa Palmer: HB 105 will have not just economic impact but family impact Read More »

Video: Chaplain Bob invites House panel to see ‘whose lives you’re touching… You can stay at my house’

Robert “Chaplain Bob” Miller of the Ocala Farm Ministry, who has been imbedded in with horse-industry families, told the Florida House commerce committee that it’s ‘the hardest-working community I’ve ever lived in, and I’ve lived in a lot of places in the world.

Video: Chaplain Bob invites House panel to see ‘whose lives you’re touching… You can stay at my house’ Read More »

Video: Trainer Jena Antonucci: HB 105 does nothing to spur growth such as demonstrated in Kentucky and New York. Five years is not stability for our industry.”

Lifelong Ocala resident Jena Antonucci, who proudly describes herself as a small business and ag business owner, is the first female Thoroughbred trainer to win a Triple Crown race. That, she acknowledged when testifying before the Florida House Commerce Committee on March 17 “is mind-blowing.

Video: Trainer Jena Antonucci: HB 105 does nothing to spur growth such as demonstrated in Kentucky and New York. Five years is not stability for our industry.” Read More »

Video: TRI president and Ocala Stud GM David O’Farrell at March 17 hearing

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.

Video: TRI president and Ocala Stud GM David O’Farrell at March 17 hearing Read More »

House Committee to Review Bill That Could Impact Florida Horse Racing Industry

On Monday, a House committee will review HB 105, a bill that would eliminate the requirement for Florida thoroughbred tracks—Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs—to host a minimum number of live races to operate their casinos. Damon Thayer, a former longtime Kentucky state lawmaker and senior adviser for the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, a group opposing the legislation, spoke with FOX 35 News+ to discuss concerns about the bill.

House Committee to Review Bill That Could Impact Florida Horse Racing Industry Read More »

Q&A: Former Kentucky Senate Leader Thayer Now Focused on Blocking Gulfstream Decoupling

Damon Thayer, a longtime advocate for Kentucky’s horse racing industry, served as a state senator from 2003 and spent 12 years as Senate Majority Leader. His most significant legislative achievement was securing authorization for historical horse racing machines, which have since strengthened Kentucky’s racing circuit. After announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election, Thayer transitioned into a lobbying role, focusing on racing issues, particularly opposing a Florida bill that would allow Gulfstream Park to separate its racing license from its casino operations.

Q&A: Former Kentucky Senate Leader Thayer Now Focused on Blocking Gulfstream Decoupling Read More »

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Expanded Bill on Decoupling Heads to Florida Committee Hearing

A controversial proposal, House Bill 105, that would allow Florida’s thoroughbred racetracks to decouple live racing from their casino operations is moving forward in the legislature. The bill, now expanded from five to 29 pages, is set for a key hearing in the House commerce committee. Opponents argue that this bill will devastate Florida’s breeding industry by removing financial incentives for breeders, lowering purse minimums, and increasing state regulatory control over training tracks

Expanded Bill on Decoupling Heads to Florida Committee Hearing Read More »

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State legislators hold a critical Florida industry in their hands: horse racing | Opinion

Florida’s thoroughbred horse industry, valued at $3.24 billion annually and supporting 33,500 jobs, is facing a major threat from House Bill 105. This legislation would allow casino owners to sever live racing from their operations, leading to the closure of key tracks like Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Without these tracks, Florida’s thoroughbred breeding and racing industry could collapse, forcing jobs and economic benefits to relocate to states like Kentucky.

State legislators hold a critical Florida industry in their hands: horse racing | Opinion Read More »

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