Saturday's $250,000, Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, the local prep race for the Grade 2 Lambolm South Tampa Bay Derby four weeks from now, brings together a field of 12 (plus one also-eligible) attempting to become one of the betting favorites going into that race.
Month: February 2021
Aftercare, Slaughter Ban Bill Passes NY Senate
A bill relating to the aftercare of retired racehorses passed the New York State Senate with bi-partisan support and is expected to pass the N.Y. State Assembly in this legislative session. The bill, Senate Bill 1442, sponsored by State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., prohibits the slaughter of race horses and breeding stock or transfer of horses intended for slaughtered or the transfer of horses where one knows or who should have known that the horse would be slaughtered. Violators will be denied Gaming Commission licenses and be barred from receiving breeding awards.
The bill mandates that all racehorses be microchipped, requires breeding organizations to have a dedicated fund set-aside for aftercare programs, and provides that monies generated by enforcement will be dedicated to the cost of aftercare.
The bill will also increase Gaming Commission insight into transfers of horses and ownership, as all microchipping information will go to the Gaming Commission as well as to The Jockey Club.
Finally, the bill establishes a tax check-off on individual and corporate franchise tax returns that will bring awareness and more funding for the ongoing care of retired race horses.
“The reason why I love this bill is that it came from the industry itself and we flushed out the details,” said Addabbo. “We worked with the breeders and the horsemen. They were all a part of the initial draft of the bill. All around the industry, we found support and those in the animal rights groups all support it as well.”
On the bill's chances in the New York State Assembly, Addabbo said he sees no roadblocks.
“I can't image who can be against the ban of horse slaughter and more funds to care for the retired horses,” said Addabbo. “Importantly, there is no cost to the state involved.”
The bill goes beyond other what other states have passed on the same issue.
“In doing our due diligence, we did find this was quite unique and somewhat ground-breaking which did entice the animal advocates to embrace it,” said Addabbo. “Maybe we do become the model for other states. I'm only hopeful. The aftercare of our horses is essential so maybe we do pave the way for others.”
The post Aftercare, Slaughter Ban Bill Passes NY Senate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Best Bets: Withers Stakes Standout, Tampa Longshot
America’s Best Racing and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend. Vág will identify her top picks as well as at least one longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet. She also will occasionally look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers. This Weekend’s Bets
‘Real Financial Harm’: Pennsylvania Equine Coalition Pushes Back Against Governor’s Proposed ‘Raid’
From the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition
Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed FY 2021-22 budget – which seeks to raid $199 million from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund — would result in the end of horse racing in Pennsylvania, an integral part of the state's agriculture industry that supports hundreds of small businesses and 20,000 family-sustaining jobs. The proposed budget repeats a recommendation the Wolf Administration put forth last year that failed to gain traction in the legislature.
“It is hard to fathom why the Wolf Administration would once again put forward a fundamentally flawed proposal that was widely dismissed and failed to gain any meaningful support last year in the legislature,” said Pete Peterson, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition, an organization representing the six Thoroughbred and Standardbred horsemen and breeder associations in the state. “This proposal would result in the end of horse racing, which supports 20,000 jobs, delivers an annual $1.6 billion economic impact, and preserves hundreds of thousands of acres of open space.”
Peterson noted that the effects would be felt well beyond Pennsylvanians who work at a race track or breed horses. Purse money earned by a horse enables the owner to buy hay and straw from farmers, feed from local feed mills, as well as pay the horse's jockey, trainer, blacksmith, groom, veterinarian, and equine dentist. In addition, countless small businesses in the manufacturing, retail and construction industries count horsemen and breeders among their major customers for horse trailers and vehicles, feed equipment, riding tack and other supplies, the construction or repair of barns and fencing, and more.
“Given the current economic climate, we should be looking for ways to provide support to struggling working families and small businesses, not threatening their jobs and livelihoods,” said Peterson. “Eliminating horse racing and breeding would have far-reaching negative impacts throughout the agriculture industry, Pennsylvania's leading economic sector, as well as the broader state economy. Pennsylvanians who work in or rely on the horse racing industry to support their families already face financial challenges due to the COVID-related shutdown of race tracks and casinos last year and this proposal will only add to their stress.”
“Everyone recognizes that college debt and rising tuition rates are major problems, but you don't fix one debt problem by putting an entire sector of the agriculture industry out of business and thousands of people out of work,” said Peterson.
Beyond the economic ramifications, Peterson noted that the Administration's proposal to divert non-tax dollars from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund (RHDTF) for purposes other than what they were intended also faces a significant legal hurdle. In 2017, the General Assembly passed – and Governor Wolf signed into law – legislation (Act 42) that specifically states the amounts in the RHDTF “are not funds of the Commonwealth” and that “the Commonwealth shall not be rightfully entitled” to the RHDTF funds. The General Assembly and Governor approved that trust fund protection language in order to spur new long-term investment in Pennsylvania's racing and breeding industry by providing increased economic certainty for investors. Now, no more than four years later, the Governor appears to be suggesting that the Commonwealth reverse its commitment.
“Given the proposal's far-reaching negative impacts on Pennsylvania's agricultural industry and the significant legal issues it faces, we are optimistic that the legislature will again reject this proposal,” said Peterson. “But by merely floating this idea, the Administration is hurting working families that are already reeling from the effects of COVID-19. These next few months are an extremely important time for horse breeders, as customers are deciding right now whether they want to breed their horses here in Pennsylvania or in other states such as New York, Virginia, Maryland, or Kentucky. Putting this idea out there – even though it has little chance of success – will result in real financial harm to our breeding farms here in Pennsylvania.”
The Pennsylvania Equine Coalition is a statewide organization that represents more than 10,000 owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders in Pennsylvania's horse racing and breeding industry. Our member organizations include the state's six horsemen and breeder associations, including: the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association, the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, and the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
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