The Board of the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen (FTH) met Monday to address HB 105, the pending legislation seeking decoupling in Florida that would allow Gulfstream Park to separate its gaming license from the requirement to continue to conduct live racing.
The Board of the FTH voted unanimously against decoupling and is against the passage of HB 105. Their statement issued Monday reads:
“The future of Thoroughbred racing in South Florida is too important and too uncertain if HB 105 is passed. We cannot take that risk without a definitive plan going forward.
The organization wants to actively engage and work with 1/ST RACING and Gulfstream regarding the future of racing in South Florida. We have requested a series of meetings with 1/ST and Gulfstream so that the interested parties can collectively come up with a sustainable solution that would be in the best interest of racing.
“Unless and until that solution is developed and agreed upon, the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen will be against decoupling or any legislation that threatens continued Thoroughbred racing in South Florida.”
The FTH joins many of their counterparts in other jurisdictions (THA, KTA) and major industry shareholders such as Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm’s John Sikura, in coming down against the legislation.