A Board of no fewer than 11 and no more than 15 Directors supervises the FTHA and each year, five positions are filled on a rotating basis. For 2024, Incumbent Owner/Directors Chester Bishop, Jonathan Green, and Teresa Palmer were re-elected.  Incumbent Trainer/Director Ron Spatz was re-elected, and new to the Board is Owner/Director Robert Cotran.

“I was honored to be elected to the Board. I am aware of some of the obstacles that racing is facing in the future,” said new member Robert Cotran. “My goal is to work with our horsemen's group in dealing with these obstacles–all for the betterment of racing–which is everyone's goal.”

Joe Orseno was elected unanimously for his third term as FTHA President. Jon Green was appointed as First Vice President and David Rousso as Second Vice President. The new board will take office effective immediately.

Owner/Directors include: Gerardo Amado, Chester Bishop, Thomas Cannell, Robert Cotran, Jonathan Green, Adam Lazarus, Teresa Palmer, David Rousso and Jeffrey Siskin. Trainer/Directors are: Patrick Biancone, Kathy Davey, David Fawkes, Joe Orseno, Terri Pompay and Ron Spatz.

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Open handicap purses will rise from $60,000 last season to $74,000; $6,250 claiming races with conditions will jump from $17,000 to $20,000; open allowances will be $10,000 higher than 2023 levels, ranging from $61,000 to $63,000; entry-level allowances for Florida-breds will increase from $43,000 to $48,000; maiden special weight races will increase by $10,000 to $60,000; maiden special weight races for Florida-breds will go up from $40,000 to $48,000; maiden races for $12,500 claimers will get a boost of $6,000 to $25,000; starter allowance purses will increase from $3,000 to $9,000 (from $25,000 to $49,000); and the purse for a $50,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds will jump by $9,000 to $44,000.

“With the increased purses, grass racing, and our workers compensation program, Gulfstream is now the summer place to be,” said Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA) President Joe Orseno. “We are able to offer better purses and we hope this will encourage trainers and owners to keep horses at Gulfstream Park through the non-championship meet. A big thank you to 1/ST management and the FTHA purse committee for negotiating this competitive purse structure.”

Gulfstream will race four days a week from April to June and three days a week from July to November with turf racing throughout the spring and summer.

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“We are delighted to be awarding FTHA Kent Stirling Scholarships to 13 students–the most ever,” said Kathy Davey, chair of the Scholarship Committee. “This is a terrific group of young men and women who we know will make the most of the opportunity and will do us proud in the future.”

Designed for backstretch workers at Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows and their immediate families, the FTHA's scholarships can be used for any subject at any college or university.

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Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law.

“We thank Governor DeSantis and all of our state legislators who recognize the importance of Thoroughbred racing and breeding to the state of Florida,” Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Joe Orseno said. “The revenue generated through this bill will help ensure the continued stability and growth of an industry that is so important to so many Floridians.”

The FTHA represents more than 6,000 horse owners and trainers who not only work and race at Gulfstream, but also do business throughout the state. FTHA and 1/ST Racing, which owns and operates Gulfstream, worked in tandem with Tampa Bay Downs to craft the language for the legislation and to get it passed. Although the primary focus of the bill is support for the racing industry, the FTBOA was also at the table so that all stakeholders were represented.

According to a study by the American Horse Council, Florida's Thoroughbred industry has a $2.7 billion economic impact and creates more than 23,000 job opportunities in the state. From the racetracks, to the training centers, to the breeding farms to the horse retirement facilities, there are nearly 100,000 Thoroughbreds stabled in virtually every county in Florida.

“Florida supports hundreds of equine-related businesses–not just the tracks and the racing stables and breeding operations, but the ancillary business as well, such as feed and tack stores, veterinary services, transportation, insurance companies, attorneys, the list goes on and on,” Orseno said. “We are thrilled that our Governor and our legislators have given their support to the thousands in the state who depend upon the Thoroughbred industry.”

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The FBIF program offers Florida-bred two-year-old open maiden winners a minimum bonus of $2,500 for maiden-claiming races and up to $10,000 for a Florida-bred two-year-old winning an open maiden special weight race at Gulfstream.

The FTBOA will offer an additional $100,000 in win bonuses for eligible Florida-sired winners of open maiden special weights, paying $5,000 for up to 10 races for males and females.

“It's imperative that we all work together to promote and build a robust breeding and racing industry in the state of Florida,” Billy Badgett, 1/ST RACING's Executive Director of Florida Racing Operations, said. “To that end, it's important to attract new owners to our sport throughout Florida and the industry. These incentives, and the change in dates of the popular Florida Sire Stakes program, gives us a great opportunity to fulfill these goals.”

Additionally, the Florida Sire Stakes series, to be run at Gulfstream for the 10th straight season, offers $1.2 million in purses and have been pushed back on the annual racing calendar to give owners and trainers more time to prepare their Florida-bred juveniles for the lucrative series. The dates for the 2023 FSS are as follows:

• Sept. 9–$100,000 FSS Desert Vixen S. and $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager S. at six furlongs;
• Oct. 21–$200,000 FSS Susan's Girl S. and $200,000 FSS Affirmed S. at seven furlongs;
• Dec. 2–$300,000 FSS My Dear Girl S. and $300,000 In Reality S. at 1 1/6 miles

“Florida's stakeholders are aligned with one focus–what can we do to help our breeding and racing industries?” said FTHA President Joe Orseno. “We need to find ways to make it worthwhile for breeders and owners to invest in our state. We believe that the new Bonus Program will encourage greater interest in buying and breeding Florida-breds. By moving the dates of the FSS races, late-developing 2-year-olds will have a better chance of participating. We are excited about the future of the Florida Thoroughbred industry.”

“FTBOA is pleased to work with Gulfstream and FTHA on a program for 2023 featuring our priority Florida Sire Stakes program while enhancing our Florida Breeders Incentive Fund for the benefit of our highly regarded Florida-bred 2-year-olds at Gulfstream on a summer through winter basis,” commented FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell.

FTBOA President George Isaacs added, “We are pleased with the continued FSS races as our industry centerpiece promoting Florida stallions and farms. I also consider it a plus anytime we can offer purse incentives for our bread and butter two-year-olds competing at all levels at Gulfstream. We anticipate this will be one of many cooperative efforts improving the industry economics and stability.”

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The seven candidates are:

OWNERS

• Gerardo Amado
• Tom Cannell
• David Geofroy
• Jeffrey Siskin

TRAINERS

• Patrick Biancone
• Jorge Delgado
• David Fawkes

The Florida THA is supervised and managed by a Board between 11 to 15 Directors. Six seats are reserved for Owner/Directors, and six seats are reserved for Trainer/Directors. Three Directors may be either an owner or a trainer. An individual licensed as an owner may only run for a seat on the Board as an owner; an individual licensed as a trainer or as an owner and trainer may only run for a seat on the Board as a trainer.

The Board of Directors is divided into three groups of five Directors, known as Groups 1, 2, and 3. Elections are held annually, and the terms of all Directors are three years.

Voting for the 2023 FTHA Election will begin in February. Each member of the FTHA who is currently licensed as an owner and/or trainer and is in good standing is entitled to cast one vote in the general election.

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The culmination of the evening was the presentation of the 2022 FTHA Awards. Host Ron Nicoletti announced the winners in 11 categories, including the newly added Champion Tapeta Horse and Champion Tapeta Filly/Mare. Raina Gunderson was chosen as the 2022 “Person of Distinction” for her devotion to the horses.

The complete list of the 2022 FTHA Champions is:

• Person of Distinction: Raina Gunderson
• 2-year-old Colt/Gelding: Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew)
• 2-year-old Filly: Lynx (Brethren)
• 3-year-old Colt: Steal Sunshine (Constitution)
• 3-year-old Filly: Maryquitecontrary (First Dude)
• Older Horse/Gelding: Willy Boi (Uncaptured)
• Older Filly/Mare: Spirit Wind (Bahamian Squall)
• Turf Horse/Gelding: California Frolic (California Chrome)
• Turf Filly/Mare: Last Leaf (Not This Time)
• Tapeta Horse/Gelding: Grand David (Tapiture)
• Tapeta Filly/Mare: Kate's Kingdom (Animal Kingdom)

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