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Arizona Mayor: ‘It Is Time For The Legislature To Act And Support The Horse Racing Industry’

Kell Palguta, Mayor of Prescott Valley, Ariz., released the following statement Friday on behalf of Save Arizona Horse Racing:

As mayor of Prescott Valley, I am proud of our thriving community. We have a diverse community with residents from across the nation choosing to relocate in our area. From outdoor recreation, to exploring local shops, to enjoying a day at Arizona Downs, we have something for everyone.

Tourism is the lifeblood of our community. With great year-round weather and entertainment, we as a community value all of our assets that help businesses and families thrive. One of those important attractions is Arizona Downs, one of the state's go-to racetracks for summer events.

Horse racing has been an important industry to Arizona since statehood, representing our state's ranching and old west roots. For rural Arizona, ranching, breeding and farming is embedded in our community and a local economic driver.

Arizona Downs is part of our state's history, and as we continue to grow and thrive, we must also modernize the industries that are at our core. For the past decade, Arizona's horse racing industry has suffered due to increased competition from other states. As efforts to bolster the local horse racing industry has increased across the nation, Arizona has lagged behind.

Since 2004, Arizona horse tracks have seen live race attendance drop 45% and parimutuel handles drop $55 million a year. This decline in revenue impacts every small business owner and employee that is involved in race days. Arizona has a lot to offer, and can easily become a national destination for horse racing.

The Arizona Legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 1794 which will support Arizona horse racing and generate more than $100 million in new state tax revenues. By implementing Historic Horse Racing in the state, purses will increase from $80,000 to $300,000, attracting horses and revenues from California. It will also attract $300 million in capital investments and help create nearly 4,000 new jobs.

It's time for the legislature to act and support the horse racing industry. For far too long the needs of rural Arizona have been ignored. Now, we have a real opportunity to help rural small business owners and create additional revenue for the state. This is a win-win for all of Arizona; let's make Historic Horse Racing a reality.

Save Arizona Horse Racing is focused on implementing innovative solutions to create additional revenue and save this historic industry in Arizona. Learn more: www.savearizonahorseracing.com

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Black Heritage In Racing Exhibit Opens Monday At The Kentucky Derby Museum

The Black Heritage in Racing exhibit at Kentucky Derby Museum opens to the public on Monday, March 29. A ribbon cutting and media preview Friday, March 26 at 2 P.M. celebrates the newly expanded space.

The exhibit, a permanent display inside the Museum since 1993, documents the stories and contributions of Black horsemen in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. With support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Black Heritage in Racing exhibit has moved from the second floor to a larger and more prominent location on the first floor of the Museum.

The new exhibit space is just under 930 square feet, which is more than 20 times larger than the previous exhibit space. This increased footprint allows the Museum to display more of its collection of artifacts pertaining to Black History in the sport, add new components such as oral history interviews and artwork, and provide visitors the best experience possible. The exhibit walks guests through Black Heritage in horse racing history, from the early days when Black horsemen dominated the sport, to the Jim Crow era that led to the exclusion of Black jockeys, and to modern times.

“We're excited to invite the public to see this beautiful exhibit. It is really striking, with a bold red theme throughout, and larger than life images of these horsemen,” said Patrick Armstrong, President & CEO of Kentucky Derby Museum. “It was our team's intent when designing this exhibit to give these individuals their time to shine, by making them stand out in these oversized pictures throughout the space. It is our hope that when exploring this exhibit, people will walk away with a greater appreciation of the Black Heritage that is woven through horse racing. It is a distinct honor for us to be the keepers and tellers of their stories for years to come.”

Guests can explore the stories of history-makers like Oliver Lewis, the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby aboard Aristides in 1875. The story of Ansel Williamson, the trainer of Aristides, is also featured.

Visitors can also learn about the career of one of the greatest jockeys of all time, Isaac Murphy. Born an enslaved person, he went on to win three Kentucky Derbys, and won an estimated 44% of his races, compared to the average jockey today winning around 20%. Many more stories are shared, including names from the modern era, like hip-hop star MC Hammer, who had a 3rd place finisher in the 1992 Kentucky Derby and won the Kentucky Oaks in 1991 with Lite Light.

Additionally, guests will learn about Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, the owners of Necker Island, a horse who contended for Kentucky Derby 146. Harbut's great-grandfather was the groom to the legendary horse Man o' War.

Black Heritage in Racing Collection

The Black Heritage in Racing Collection at the Museum features several components, including the expanded exhibit, a new tour that launched in December, and Proud of My Calling, a monthly, 60-minute live acting performance that brings the stories of Black horsemen to life. Proud of My Calling, supported by UPS, launches Saturday, March 27. Still to come, a Black Heritage in Racing traveling exhibit will be created over the next several months to travel to museums, community centers, visitor centers and churches. Additionally, the Museum's Education Team teaches thousands of students each year through two programs focusing on Black Heritage in Racing during field trips, in-school teaching and virtual learning.

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Canadian Sports Betting Bill Amended To Exempt Horse Racing From Fixed Odds Wagers

With a unanimous vote, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Thursday amended Private Member's Bill C-218 to offer protection to the horse racing industry in Canada. Under the new proposed legislation, fixed odds wagering on horse racing would not be permitted.

“This is great news for the horse racing industry and the tens of thousands of jobs it supports across Canada,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “On behalf of the industry, thank you to the Standing Committee for listening to our perspective and recognizing the need to protect horse racing from unintended consequences caused by the legalization of sports betting.”

PMB C-218 was introduced by MP Kevin Waugh to legalize Single-Event Sports Betting in Canada. The horse racing industry supports the principle of the Bill but led a significant cross-party advocacy effort to ensure Committee members understood the unintended consequences to the industry if protections were not included. As part of those efforts, horse racing hall of fame jockey Sandy Hawley and representatives from the Central Ontario Standardbred Association, Horsemen's Benevolent Protective Association of Ontario, Racetracks of Canada, Quebec Jockey Club and Woodbine Entertainment appeared as witnesses over the past several weeks as the Standing Committee studied the proposed Bill.

The Bill will now proceed to Third Reading in the House and, if passed, head to the Senate for review.

“As the legislation process continues, our industry will remain active to ensure the protections remain in the Bill through the Senate process,” Lawson added. “We also recognize that with this potential emergence of sports betting in the near future, our industry will face increased competition in the legal wagering market and must pursue additional sources of revenue to further protect our industry.”

As an established leader and trusted Canadian organization in regulated single-event sports betting in Canada, Woodbine Entertainment will continue to advocate for an opportunity to participate in sports betting in a meaningful way.

“We look forward to continuing to engage with government and other stakeholders to offer our expertise in regulated sports wagering as Canada prepares for this new and emerging sector,” Lawson said. ““The opportunity for us to offer our leadership in this sector has the potential for sports betting to be a very positive development for the horse racing industry across the country.”

In addition to its efforts in sports betting, Woodbine Entertainment will continue to advocate for the legalization of Historical Horse Racing on behalf of the industry.

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Churchill Downs To Serve As COVID-19 Vaccination Site

With the Kentucky Derby over a month away, Churchill Downs is inviting the community to the historic racetrack early when it joins forces with Norton Healthcare in the race to vaccinate the public against COVID-19.

Churchill Downs will host a Norton Healthcare Vaccine Clinic for community members who are eligible per state guidelines and as supply is available. The public may now register for appointments to receive their first dose of vaccine. Appointment times are available March 29, March 30 and April 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The second round of booster shots will be automatically scheduled for April 19, April 20 and May 3 respectively. Vaccinations will take place at Churchill Downs Racetrack in the Second Floor Clubhouse.

Individuals meeting eligibility requirements (essential workers, people 50 and older and people 18-49 with chronic conditions) may register through a Norton Healthcare web link, www.nortonhealthcare/churchilldowns. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted while supplies last. 2500 individuals are expected to be vaccinated at Churchill Downs over the three days with a goal to increase equity of the vaccine and provide access to underserved areas. Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding Churchill Downs will be prioritized.

“We are proud to partner with Norton Healthcare and are pleased to be able to help offer this convenient option to the South Louisville neighbors of Churchill Downs,” said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “It is gratifying to know that we will be able to help so many in this community receive their COVID-19 vaccinations in advance of Kentucky Derby 147, helping us all return to the Derby traditions that we cherish and that bring us together.”

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