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New Mexico Bill Proposes Lottery-Run Addition Of Sports Wagering, Table Games To Existing Racinos

Newly proposed legislation in the New Mexico house would upgrade the state's five racinos to include sports wagering and full-service table games like craps, poker, and blackjack, reports the Las Cruces Sun News. Under the proposal, the state lottery would be responsible for managing and operating the casinos, which in turn supports the struggling New Mexico Lottery College Fund.

“I truly believe this is a win-win for the state as a whole,” bill sponsor Rep. Ray Lara, D-Chamberino told the Las Cruces Sun News. “This is going to benefit our young people. This is going to bring jobs. This is going to bring additional revenue to our communities and to our state.”

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham offered up a bill last year which intended to make up for shortages in the Lottery College Fund from the General Fund, but the bill fell short and is being reworked for the 2021 session. Lara said his bill is not in competition with the Governor's, but instead is intended to strengthen it.

State lottery CEO David Barden told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the lottery was not consulted on the bill prior to its announcement.

New Mexico Senator Steve Neville, R-Farmington, one of the bill's five co-sponsors, said he was asked to support the bill by SunRay Park, his hometown racetrack. Neville explained that tying the gaming expansion to the state lottery, and thus the college fund, is a political move to make the bill more palatable to both the public and other lawmakers.

“We've got tracks that are suffering and are not going to be around if we don't do something,” Neville told the Santa Fe New Mexican. “(The tracks) can't get the support themselves. They wanted to open up gaming in general, and the bill evolved out of that.”

Read more at the Las Cruces Sun News and the Santa Fe New Mexican.

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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.

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.

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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Kentucky Derby Museum Launches New African Americans In Thoroughbred Racing Tour

The Kentucky Derby Museum is thrilled to amplify in a new way the stories of Black horsemen, who not only dominated the sport of Thoroughbred racing in the early days of the Kentucky Derby but continue to make a lasting mark on its legacy. Oliver Lewis. Isaac Murphy. Ansel Williamson. These are just a handful of legendary names that guests will learn about during two new immersive opportunities at Kentucky Derby Museum.

On the new African Americans in Racing Tour, made possible with support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation, guests will walk through Churchill Downs Racetrack while making historically significant stops along the way on this 90 minute experience. Through history, including the Jim Crow era that led to the exclusion of Black jockeys from the sport, and to modern times, guests will learn about the profound impact African Americans have made on horse racing from the very beginning. Visitors will hear incredible stories of how 13 of the 15 horses in the first-ever Kentucky Derby were ridden by Black jockeys, and 15 of the first 28 Derby winners were ridden by Black jockeys. This tour is now available Saturdays at 1 p.m. and is $15 per person.

Secondly, the Museum is launching the “Proud of My Calling” experience, a monthly, 60-minute immersive program where visitors are introduced to incredible Black horsemen through costumed actors, historic paintings, photos and objects from the past. Meet greats like Oliver Lewis, Isaac Murphy and Ansel Williamson. Lewis, a Black jockey, rode Aristides to victory in the first Kentucky Derby in 1875. Williamson, born enslaved, became a successful trainer, nabbing wins with horses including Aristides in that inaugural Derby. Murphy, also born enslaved, is considered one of the greatest jockeys of all time, winning three Kentucky Derbys and an estimated 44% of his races. This experience is offered monthly and is $20 per person, starting March 27.

These two exciting new opportunities are part of Louisville Tourism's Unfiltered Truth Collection, which features several local attractions highlighting African American contributions to the city and culture.

In line with the Museum's non-profit mission to engage, educate and excite everyone about the extraordinary experience that is the Kentucky Derby, the Museum has been sharing the important role African Americans have had on the Derby for decades. Since 1993, African Americans in Thoroughbred Racing, a permanent exhibit, has chronicled the impact African Americans have had on the Thoroughbred industry and the Kentucky Derby, and features some of the most significant artifacts in the Museum's collection.
Additionally, the Museum's Education Team teaches thousands of students each year about this important history through field trips and in-school teaching.

Coming in Spring 2021, Kentucky Derby Museum is redesigning and moving its African Americans in Thoroughbred Racing exhibit to a larger and more prominent location within the Museum, as well as expanding the footprint of the exhibit. This will allow the Museum to display more of its collection, add new components, and provide visitors the best experience possible. This exhibit will also feature oral history interviews conducted with Louisville's African American community. This expansion is also made possible through support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation.

Additionally, a traveling African Americans in Thoroughbred Racing exhibit will be created to travel to museums, community centers, visitor centers and churches.

Jockey Oliver Lewis

Jimmy Winkfield aboard Alan A Dale

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Turf Paradise Operating Group Suing Insurance Company For COVID-Related Losses

TP Racing LLP, which operates Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Ariz., filed a civil lawsuit against American Home Assurance Company last week for what the racing group says is a failure to pay for COVID-related losses covered under the group's insurance policy. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, seeks a jury trial for the racing group's claim on its American Home policy, which the company denied in July 2020.

According to TP Racing, the organization maintained a policy with American Home which promised to pay for business income losses, losses caused by loss of property or restriction of access to properties, and interruption of business due to orders of a civil authority. TP Racing's complaint states that the insurance policy does not specifically contain an exemption for viruses or bacteria.

The insurance company has not yet filed a response to the allegations.

Turf Paradise and its affiliated 55 OTBs in Arizona were shut down for various periods throughout 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten of those OTBs closed permanently because they were housed in bars that shuttered. The suit also states that there have been confirmed COVID-19 cases at the track, though it did not specify how many or whether those cases came from track or stable personnel. Once the track could resume racing and OTB operations, it says, it could only do so with drastically reduced capacity, hampering normal business. TP Racing considers that restriction of access to its properties is one of several aspects of the COVID-19 closures that are covered by its policy.

According to the suit, TP Racing filed an insurance claim with American Home in April 2020, referring to policy limits of $2.5 million for accounts receivable coverage, $500,000 in preservation of property coverage, $10 million in extra expense coverage and $1 million in coverage for 30 days' of civil authority action.

In July, the suit states American Home responded, disputing the track's characterization of “direct physical loss or damage to covered property or leased property” and stating that a clause listing exclusions for “pollutants or contaminants” would apply to viruses.

TP Racing filed eight civil counts against the company and is seeking declaratory judgments, damages, attorneys' fees, and interest.

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