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Kentucky State Senator Announces Plans To File Legislation In Support Of Historical Horse Racing

Kentucky State Senator John Schickel (R) announced Thursday that he plans to file a bill supporting Historical Horse Racing during next week's legislative session, which resumes on Feb. 2, reports wtvq.com. Schickel's district includes Northern Kentucky racetrack Turfway Park, owned by Churchill Downs, Inc.

“Next week, I will file legislation to keep historical horse racing operational in Kentucky,” Schickel said in a statement. “The bill, which I am pleased to say will be co-sponsored by Senate President Robert Stivers (R), will address the recent Kentucky Supreme Court decision on pari-mutuel wagering and ensure that historical horse racing facilities are able to continue operating, while employing Kentuckians, generating state tax revenue and strengthening our signature equine industry.

“This effort is about preserving a system of wagering we've known for live racing for decades and historical horse racing for the last ten years. This is about maintaining the status quo. Our immediate action as legislators is critical to protecting current and future jobs and economic development across the Commonwealth.”

The Kentucky Supreme Court issued a brief statement last Thursday in which it declined to reconsider its unanimous decision on historical horse racing machines issued on Sept. 24, 2020. In response, both Keeneland and Red Mile temporarily shut down historical racing operations over the weekend.

The Kentucky Equine Education Project has plans to host a live panel on Historical Horse Racing at Keeneland Racecourse on Feb. 1.

Letters to the Editor: Shannon B. Arvin

To our loyal horsemen, partners, employees and fans,

On behalf of Keeneland and the broader Kentucky equine community, we are reaching out to you today to ask for your help.

Historical horse racing (HHR) fuels Kentucky's signature horse industry, strengthens purse money for racing, provides valuable jobs and generates millions in tax revenue to benefit investments across the Commonwealth.

A recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling has put the future of historical horse racing, and therefore the health of Kentucky's equine industry, in jeopardy, causing Keeneland and Red Mile to temporarily close the historical horse racing operations at Red Mile Gaming & Racing.

We are hopeful the Kentucky legislature will provide a remedy to save the many jobs and millions in tax revenue and purse enhancements, but we need your help for this solution to become a reality.

You can assist our efforts by reaching out to your representatives in the Kentucky legislature and urging them to support the engine that drives the Commonwealth's economy: the horse industry.

Here's How to Help:

1. Contact your representative by clicking this link.

2. Ask them to keep HHR in Kentucky to protect valuable jobs and our signature equine industry.

3. Encourage them to make regulatory changes that allow HHR facilities to continue operations.

4. Let them know what Keeneland means to you!

Keeneland is grateful for your support and action in saving historical horse racing.

Shannon B. Arvin
Keeneland President & CEO

Editor's Note: This letter was issued as a press release on behalf of Keeneland.

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Bill Farish Says He’s ‘Bullish’ On Racing’s Future On Writers’ Room

There are few people in racing more qualified to speak on the health of the sport than Lane's End's Bill Farish. In addition to running the historic farm, Farish is chairman of the board of the Breeders' Cup, chairman of the Horse PAC and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Keeneland Association, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Foundation. Wednesday, Farish joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland, calling in as the Green Group Guest of the Week to explain why he's “bullish” on racing's future, share his thoughts on the 140-mare cap and much more.

“I'm incredibly bullish on the future of the sport,” he said. “I think we've got a lot of positives. The state of Kentucky needs to get the historic horse racing deal figured out, because that's a huge, huge boost to the industry. If we can keep those purses where they were heading, and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act that was recently passed, I think is hugely important for our future. We've got to get the testing right. We need to have greater integrity and more confidence from the bettors in the product. I think that will go a long way in helping that. I was going to say restoring it, but I'm not sure it's ever been there to the degree it should be. I think that's a huge thing.”

Asked about The Jockey Club's new rule capping stallion books at 140 mares, Farish explained his support for the measure, saying, “First of all, I don't think there is as many people on the side of large books as there are on the side of limiting books. But, to me it's quite obvious, we have literally 50% the number of stallions standing in Kentucky that we did 20 years ago. That's a direct result of increased book size. So, I think looking at the list of mares bred this year, there would be literally, I think the number is about 900 mares, to spread amongst other stallions from the stallions that are being bred over 140.”

Elsewhere on the show, the crew reacted to the dominant performance of Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Pegasus World Cup, talked about where some of the weekend's dominant 3-year-old colts fit on the Derby trail and, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, broke down the tricky situation surrounding historical horse racing in Kentucky. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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Keeneland To Host Horsemen For Historical Horse Racing Legislative Informational Session On Feb. 1

Horsemen and state leaders will convene in support of Historical Horse Racing at the Keeneland Entertainment Center on Feb. 1 at 6:00 p.m., according to the Kentucky Equine Education Project. The meeting is also being hosted by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club, and is presented by Breeders' Cup and Jackson Kelly PLLC.

“As you know, HHR is under threat following the Kentucky Supreme Court's ruling that called into question the legality of HHR,” KEEP said in a release calling for industry support of the Feb. 1 event. “Now it is up to the state legislature to take action to preserve HHR and its unparalleled impact on Kentucky's horse industry.”

According to the Blood-Horse, the Feb. 1 panel will be led by Kentucky State Rep. Matt Koch (Republican, Paris), and will include Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer (Republican, Georgetown), Rep. Adam Koenig (Republican, Erlanger), and Sen. John Schickel (Republican, Union), as well as Kentucky Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Ashli Watts.

COVID-19 protocols will be enforced at the event, which is currently filled to capacity. To sign up to watch the live stream, follow this link.

Legislation to legalize Historical Horse Racing in Kentucky has not yet been introduced, but KEEP said it expects that legislation sooner rather than later. The session resumes on Feb. 2.

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