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Florida “Pari-Mutuel Barrel Racing” Hearing Case No: 11-005796RU Reconvenes for Third Time on August 22-23, 2012 in Tallahassee

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:06:06 +0000

Litigation Now at Nine-Month Mark

American Quarter Horse Association: “Pari-mutuel barrel racing” is NOT legitimate Quarter Horse racing

Litigation over the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering’s 2011 unilateral license award for Greta Racing LLC to conduct “pari-mutuel barrel racing” as a new form of gambling without enabling legislation, regulatory hearings or public input will continue this Wednesday, August 22 through August 23, 2012 at the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings in Tallahassee.

This third (3^rd) continuation marks the ninth (9th) month and what will amount to nine (9) days of testimony in Case No: 11-005796RU, in which Gretna Racing LLC co-owners Marc Dunbar and David Romanik are actively litigating as “intervenors” on behalf of Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering—the same regulating entity that granted their North Florida-based pari-mutuel facility the license in question.

Along with Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering officials, among those who have testified in the trial have been former Thoroughbred racetrack Gulfstream Park CEO Doug Donn and the American Quarter Horse Racing Association’s Executive Director of Racing Trey Buck. The American Quarter Horse Association has refused to sanction “pari-mutuel barrel racing” as legitimate Quarter Horse racing.

Even though Florida law requires pari-mutuels to hold live horse racing in order to operate 365-day cardrooms and slot machines, Gretna Racing LLC has continued to operate cardrooms and pursue its slot machine license despite the controversy and ensuing litigation over the legitimacy of its racing license award.

During the June 2012 proceedings, former Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering Director Milton Champion testified in Florida Administrative Court that the licensing of barrel racing as a pari-mutuel event was “a joke” and “an embarrassment” to the State of Florida. Champion recounted how he was dismissed from his Director position for not approving “pari-mutuel barrel racing.”

Champion further testified that he was asked to resign after his superior, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Ken Lawson was instructed to effect the dismissal by Florida Governor Rick Scott’s now-departed Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara.

“Because ‘pari-mutuel barrel racing’ is specifically designed to sharply curtail the need for racehorses and their inherent job creation value, the Florida horse racing and breeding industry’s $2.2 billion statewide economic impact stands to diminish accordingly,” explained Kent Stirling, Executive Director of Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, which represents over 6,000 Thoroughbred horsemen who race in Florida.

To access the entire case history and docket, or view related litigation, go to the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings Web site or click here.

For further information, please contact Kent Stirling at the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association at (305) 625-4591, or visit our blog at www.FloridaHorsemen.com.

State of Florida Overstepped Authority on “Pari-Mutuel Barrel Racing” Says FHBPA Executive Director Kent Stirling in Florida Voices "My Turn" Column

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:11:57 +0000

My Turn: Other Views from Those in the Know

State Overstepped Authority on “Pari-Mutuel Barrel Racing”

A continued final hearing was held this week on the propriety of the state awarding a racing license to Gretna Racing LLC for a brand new form of gambling it calls “pari-mutuel barrel racing.”

Nearly 450,000 horsemen in eight Florida and national organizations have agreed that the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering overstepped its regulatory authority and created an unpromulgated rule in awarding the license to Gretna Racing.

Normally, the introduction of a new gambling product into the market would be enabled with the passage of legislation, followed by subsequent regulatory hearings in which public input would be provided and considered. With “pari-mutuel barrel racing,” none of that process occurred.

Now enabled to minimally meet Florida live racing requirements for poker and slot machine licensing through “pari-mutuel barrel racing,” other Florida pari-mutuel permit-holders are in line to leverage this new gambling product to acquire slot machines without conducting legitimate horse racing.

Of paramount concern to Florida’s racing industry, “pari-mutuel barrel racing” plummets the need for approximately 2,000 horses at a typical racetrack to just eight per day, of which the same eight horses can, and have been used over and over again, while the card rooms stay open 365 days a year. Legitimate horse racing is documented to employ over 50,000 Floridians per year who produce over $2.2 billion in statewide economic impact.

The implications of allowing ‘pari-mutuel barrel racing’ to decimate the enormous economic impact of Florida’s heretofore successful horse racing and breeding industry are dire. The State of Florida cannot afford to allow clever lawyering and loopholes to destroy its internationally known horse racing and breeding industry in this manner.

Kent Stirling is executive director of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which comprises over 6,000 Thoroughbred horsemen. He can be reached at floridahorsemen@gmail.com.

About Florida Voices — The State Opinion Page

WHAT IT IS:

lorida Voices — the state opinion page — is your one-stop guide to what influential people are saying today, from Pensacola to the Florida Keys. Our facilitated roundtable engages interesting and informed people on the key questions facing Florida, seeking out differing perspectives with a watchful eye for common ground. And in cooperation with our newspaper customers, we provide a platform for Floridians — from the boardrooms to the bar rooms — to get their issues on the public agenda. You know the news. Now let’s talk.

ABOUT OUR BUSINESS:

lorida Voices is a new-media company at the intersection of opinion journalism, public affairs and government. We are rooted in the values of journalism; founded and staffed mostly by former newspaper people. We are members of the Florida Press Association.

Online, we are an opinion magazine focused on Florida. Occasionally, we expect to generate talk about national affairs, especially the presidential election. But mostly, we want to talk about issues closer to home. We will work to reflect the diversity of opinions in this great state, and challenge our leaders to solve real problems, however best.

Our customers are newspapers seeking informed commentary on Florida matters; public relations firms wanting to help clients engage the debate; advertisers hoping to reach a niche audience around public affairs; political and government leaders trying to communicate on an issue; people who do business around state government; and everyday citizens who want to better understand and be heard.

We put newspapers first for a reason. We expect to help amplify their voices and be a partner in holding government accountable. An untold story in the earthquake that’s rocked newspapers is the toll it’s taken on editorial boards. Many are a third their size from just a few years ago. Yet remaining editors and publishers are just as passionate about providing readers an interesting array of perspectives.

Monmouth Park to Offer 75 Days of Live Racing in 2012

Bill McCarrick — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:49:14 +0000

Monmouth Park to offer 75 days of live racing for 2012, Opening Day will be May 12th!

Monmouth Park, expected to be under lease to the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association soon proposes to begin its live racing portion of the 2012 season, on May 12th and offer up 75-days of live racing with 10 of them proposed over at Meadowlands in all-turf programs .

Monmouth will primarily race three days a week—Fridays through Sundays, as its been the past two seasons.

For the first three weeks of the season live racing will only be offered on Saturdays and Sundays; Fridays to be added starting on June 1st.

In August, Thursdays will be added in an experiment with twilight racing that will begin at 4 p.m. EDT, officials said. From Sept. 8-Oct. 7, Monmouth will race Saturdays and Sundays.

So for those of you who’ve been bombarding “downthestretchs” with searches for Monmouth Park Opening Day and season info, we’ve brought it to you as soon as we’d heard something!

No word yet on G/S and Stakes scheduling or purse sizes for them!