Again WAY To UNITE, Way To Go!
Oregon Horsemen Supporting NEHBPA
Posted: Monday, February 7, 2011 7:34 PM
The horsemen in Oregon have joined the list of groups supporting the New England chapter of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, although Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts remains open for simulcasting while the bitter dispute over a live racing contract for 2011 continues.
In the newest development Feb. 7, the East Boston track will no longer be able to simulcast races from Portland Meadows. On January 29th, the NEHBPA pulled its consent for Suffolk to import races from the New York Racing Association, and over the weekend, horsemen in other jurisdictions stopped the signals from Beulah Park in Ohio and Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida.
While neither Suffolk chief executive officer Chip Tuttle nor Frank Frisoli, the attorney representing the NEHPBA, were available for comment, sources said the two sides remain far apart in a contentious disagreement over the number of live racing days, purse money, and the split of simulcast revenue.
The Daily Racing Form ran an ad placed by the track in its Sunday (Feb. 6) editions. The ad was written as an open letter to state Suffolk’s position in the dispute. As reported by The BloodHorse Feb. 5, Tuttle stated that the track intends to run a live meet in 2011, and that position was reiterated in the letter. Also as reported initially, Tuttle said he may negotiate with an alternative horsemen’s organization.
The Daily Racing Form ad stated: “You should be aware that while we have been willing to talk with the NEHBPA, our recognition agreement with the organization expired at the end of 2010. That means until our live meet begins in 2011, there is technically no recognized horsemen’s group in Massachusetts and we are free to discuss parameters of the 2011 season with any individual owners, trainers, or organizations.”
There is continued talk of a rival group called the Thoroughbred Horsemen of Massachusetts coming together, but none of the owners, trainers, or breeders said to be disgruntled with the way the NEHBPA is representing them would comment for the record.
‘Militant’ Horsemen Eye Suffolk Alternative
Posted: Wednesday, February 2, 2011 8:07 AM
While the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Suffolk Downs remain at a bitter impasse over a contract for live racing in 2011, the attorney for the horsemen said Feb. 1 he is looking into options to race elsewhere in Massachusetts.
“There is a real issue if we are going to run live at Suffolk Downs,” said Frank Frisoli, legal counsel for the New England HBPA. “I am talking with other concerns. We are exploring all alternatives, and we ought to partner with some of the other groups who want to develop a racetrack and casino in another part of the state.
“If Suffolk Downs doesn’t want to work with us, we’ll find someone else that does. There is no reason we have to have live racing at Suffolk Downs.”
Chip Tuttle, chief executive officer of the East Boston racetrack, said: “Good luck to them and God bless them.”
Suffolk is the sole surviving Thoroughbred track in Massachusetts. Legislation for the development of resort casinos and slot machines at the racetracks failed last year when the governor, the House, and the Senate disagreed on the best plan to expand gambling. A compromise will be sought this year as major casino developers wait in the wings.
A compromise seems unlikely between the horsemen and Suffolk Downs management at this juncture. At issue is the amount of purses to be paid, the number of live racing days in 2011, and the percentage of revenue sharing from full-card simulcasts.
Negotiations broke down, and Jan. 30 the New England HBPA pulled its consent for Suffolk Downs to import simulcast races from the New York Racing Association. Frisoli said that on the following day, New England HBPA officials were denied access to the grounds and their office located on the backstretch.
“We’ve been calibrating paying purses the same way for 19 years and it has never been an issue in the past,” Tuttle said. “It doesn’t appear that the HBPA has moved off its position that we pay $10.6 million in purses over 100 days.”
Said Frisoli: “I would characterize our board as militant now. Our members are not going to take less than 7.5% of the simulcasting. We cannot afford to race for $75,000 a day. We need a minimum of $100,000 per day.
“There is no incentive for the breeding program to race a shorter meet of 67 to 76 days, which is what the track proposed. Suffolk (management) can recognize that we’re a partnership, or they can continue to stick their head in the sand.”
And it’s about time The Michigan HBPA starts telling everyone here where to go as well. Enough of this damn shit. 39 Days of Racing from the State, HBPA funds the whole meet at Pinnacle 100%.
And if Pinnacle does get a damn license for 2011, PAY YOUR OWN DAMN WATER BILL.
Time to Start Pulling Consent for the use of the Interstate T.B. Signals from the Harness Tracks here as well. They’ve wanted us dead for years. I’d finally oblige them because without our consent for the use of the Interstate T.B. Signal, THEY ARE AS DEAD AS US. 95% of their Business is people betting on T.B.s day and night.
If we ain’t racing neither are you and you don’t get to simulcast the T.B.s at your tracks. Don’t like it, TOUGH.
Horse Racing Law Act 279 of 1995
431.302 Definitions.
Sec. 2.
(iv) The organization’s ability to protect the financial interests of the individuals participating at.
This doesn’t even exist anymore.
431.303 Office of racing commissioner; creation; powers and duties of racing commissioner.
Sec. 3.
The office of racing commissioner is created within the department of agriculture. The racing commissioner has the powers and duties prescribed in this act and shall administer the provisions of this act relating to licensing, enforcement, and regulation. The racing commissioner also has those additional powers necessary and proper to implement and enforce this act and to regulate and maintain jurisdiction over the conduct of each licensed race meeting within this state where horse races or pari-
431.318 Simulcast; authorization; definition; “intertrack simulcast” and “interstate simulcast” explained; permit; conditions; wagering; pools; payment to horsemen’s simulcast pool; transmission of simulcast signals; simulcasting other events prohibited.
(c) The applicant shall make a continuing good faith effort throughout the duration of its race meeting to program and conduct not less than 9 live horse races on each live racing date allocated to the applicant.
(d) The certified horsemen’s organization with which the applicant has contracted shall have consented to the requested simulcasts on any live racing day when the applicant is unable to program and conduct not less than 9 live horse races, if required by section 12(6).
(e) If the requested simulcasts are interstate, the applicant shall waive in writing any right that the applicant may have under the interstate horse racing act of 1978, Public Law 95-515, 15 U.S.C. 3001 to 3007, to restrict interstate simulcasts by other race meeting licensees in this state.
(i) All applicants conducting licensed race meetings in a city area shall authorize all other race meeting licensees in the state to conduct simulcasts of the breed for which the applicant is licensed to conduct live horse racing. An applicant may not conduct interstate simulcasts unless authorization to do so is given by the applicant, in accordance with subdivision (j), permitting all other race meeting licensees to receive interstate simulcasts of a different breed than they are licensed to race live.
(j) A race meeting licensee shall not conduct an interstate simulcast of a different breed than it is licensed to race live at its race meeting, unless the licensee has the written permission of all race meeting licensees in a city area that are licensed to race that breed live at their race meetings.
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In 2009 Michigan’s Governor Dissolved our Office of Racing Commisioner, pulled us from we’ve been from the very start Agriculture and stuck us under the GAMING CONTROL BOARD ~ CASINOS
If the Thoroughbreds aren’t being slaughtered by the State, we are fighting the Track Owners demands. And Harness from day one have done nothing but throw as many roadblocks in our way as possible. I SAY ENOUGH.
I Hope ALL of the States pull their signals to support the New England Thoroughbred Horsemen. Whether it’s the State or the Track Management that is attempting to stick a red-hot poker up your ass. It’s about time they have one SHOVED UP THEIRS.
To all the States that race Thoroughbreds. PULL YOUR SIGNAL from Suffolk Downs. To the Michigan HBPA if all want us dead, Pull our consent to simulcast interstate signals. Close the doors of those Harness Tracks that enjoy our suffering. Send the Horse Players to Windsor. They can be the next commercial on the block to say IMPORTED FROM DETROIT.
The State doesn’t want our minute 3.5% Simulcast Tax Revenue because they refuse us a fair playing field with the Casinos. Fine
Kill off another 12,000-15,000-20,000 jobs in Michigan connected to Horse racing. Fine
After 77 years they don’t need us anymore, Fine. They don’t want us, Fine. They want to slaughter our Thoroughbred Industry. FINE
Let’s do it right. Kill the Thoroughbreds, Pull the T.B. Signal from the Harness. OK, everybody is dead. Hey Michigan?
This is the right way to go wouldn’t you say? So long to those JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.
It may be the wrong direction that the new Governor wanted to go in but this is the real reality of our existence here. But Hey Michigan has its three Commercial Casinos. That’s all they want or need. And Horse Racing has became expendable. Right?
FINE
HANG IN THEIR NEHBPA. Do what the Horsemen here have refused to do. UNITE AND FIGHT.
Entire Thoroughbred Horse Racing Industry throughout the States there is only one thing left to do.
And Stand By It.
Because you never know who’s going to be next.
I say Michigan Needs Thoroughbred Horse Racing. Let The Tradition Continue!
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