A invoice that might decouple gaming licenses tied to Florida Thoroughbred tracks handed the Industries and Skilled Actions Subcommittee of the State Home of Representatives Feb. 5 in Tallahassee regardless of opposition from Florida horsemen and a breeding consultant.
By clearing the Industries and Skilled Actions Subcommittee, Home Invoice 105 can now proceed into the complete Florida Home of Representatives. There’s a comparable decoupling invoice proposed within the Senate.
In introducing the invoice Wednesday earlier than the subcommittee, the invoice’s sponsor, State Rep. Adam Anderson, took purpose at what he described as subsidies supplied to the horse racing business in Florida. He cited earlier decoupling laws handed in Florida in 2021—which led to the demise of greyhound and Standardbred racing within the state—and stated that regulation “didn’t appropriately apply the brand new coverage to Thoroughbred allow holders.”
1/ST Racing, which owns Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Seashore, Fla., favors decoupling, and on Wednesday, the invoice’s language was amended to incorporate Tampa Bay Downs and its card room. That modification, proposed by Rep. Brad Yeager, handed simply.
Roughly two-thirds of the committee voted in favor of the amended invoice, and solely Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson sharply criticized the proposed laws in public remarks. She famous the significance of the equine business to her district of Marion County, together with quite a few farms round Ocala.
She cited an American Horse Council Basis report that stated the Thoroughbred business contributes $3.24 billion to the Florida financial system. That very same report signifies that Florida’s 87,600 Thoroughbreds—one in every of each 4 horses in Florida—help 33,500 jobs or 30% of equine employment.
“My query is, why on earth would you pull that sort of cash out of the Florida business, and the way is that economical?” she requested Anderson.
Anderson replied that nothing can be “pulled” from the racing business within the invoice itself and talked about that racing and breeding-related subsidies—the equine business considers them tax incentives earned when it agreed to, and supported, permitting added gaming into the state—wouldn’t be discontinued. However when earlier laws supplied decoupling for operators of greyhound and Standardbred racinos, these house owners selected to drag the plug on racing. Casinos are way more worthwhile than racing and require fewer sources, comparable to racetrack land and stabling.Â
Jena Antonucci, who turned the primary feminine coach to win a Triple Crown race when Arcangelo  received the 2023 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, spoke earlier than legislators, telling them she considers herself “fortunate” to name Marion County her residence and to coach horses at Gulfstream Park.
“It has been an honor to take action, and it could be devastating to not be capable of do each of my life’s passions which have began since I used to be 3 years previous,” she stated, her voice generally cracking with emotion. “I’ve watched the state evolve over my lifetime and watch farms change to point out amenities and residential areas, and the concept Gulfstream Park would doubtlessly not be a cornerstone of horse racing is totally thoughts numbing. However previous that, greater than something, is what it could imply to our native economies, to the agriculture within the state and the billions of {dollars} that it generates simply behind tourism and what meaning; much less farm house owners and fewer group and fewer enrichment. The racing is only a very, very small portion of what occurs.”
Lobbyist Jeff Johnston (not the previous jockey of the identical title) spoke to legislators on behalf of Gulfstream Park. He famous, “No one stated racing is stopping. They’re decoupling the 2 to allow them to be impartial, and and it provides the monitor flexibility to do issues that they should do on the monitor.
“Nowhere within the invoice, and you may learn the invoice, does it say that racing (might be) discontinued. Matter of truth, Gulfstream Park races greater than anyone within the nation. Statutorily, we have to race 40 days a 12 months; we race 200. Gulfstream Park does extra for the business in Florida than anyone else. Moreover, in 2025 they’ve already submitted for his or her racing:Â 200 days. They’ve already submitted to the division 200 days in 2026. I do not know the place the narrative of racing is stopping is coming from.”
Johnston didn’t point out that in January 1/ST Racing consultant Keith Brackpool stated that even with decoupling dwell racing at Gulfstream Park’s present web site couldn’t be assured previous 2028 as a result of the land is simply too useful.Â
Horsemen are involved by the specter of decoupling, figuring out what has beforehand occurred.
Jan Meehan, vice chairman of the Tampa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protecting Affiliation, spoke out in opposition to decoupling throughout the assembly, and simply days in the past, the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen, the designated horsemen’s group in South Florida, introduced in a Feb. 3 assertion that its board voted unanimously towards the passage of HB 105 after that they had beforehand indicated help for it.Â
Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and House owners’ Affiliation, passionately instructed the committee of his issues. In explaining the emotion in his remarks, Powell spoke of being the third technology of his household within the horse racing enterprise.
“This isn’t only a piece of paper that everyone’s simply going to proceed to race,” he stated. “It is a piece of paper that can enable many individuals to lose their jobs, and for a 70-something, a 75, 80-year-old business on this state, a signature business on this state, to be in peril.”
He later added about Gulfstream Park, “The monitor was purchased when it wasn’t a on line casino, and it bought its on line casino gaming as a result of the individuals voted to help racing by the on line casino.”
Nonetheless, their feedback didn’t sway sufficient members of the subcommittee to oppose the decoupling invoice.Â
Whether or not the Thoroughbred business receives extra help within the full legislature might be decided within the weeks and months forward. Final 12 months in supportive motion, legislators handed a tax package deal that prolonged incentives by Home Invoice 7073, which allotted greater than $32.5 million to the Florida racing and breeding industries.
