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‘Bullish On Thoroughbred Racing,’ New NTRA Chief Rooney Sets Sights On Washington

When the National Thoroughbred Racing Association board began its search for a new president and chief executive officer to replace Alex Waldrop, who announced his retirement earlier this year, it became obvious that it would be vital to find someone who knew his or her way around Washington, D.C.

That's why the hiring of former U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney to fill that role seems like a perfect fit and the decision to open a Washington office makes sense. Who knows the U.S. Capitol better than a former Member of Congress. Rooney brings the added value of coming from a family that is well known not only in sports as longtime owner of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, but also in racing.

The Rooney family has owned several tracks over the years, including Yonkers Raceway in New York, and currently the Palm Beach Kennel Club, which has evolved into a card room and simulcast center after dog racing in Florida was killed via statewide referendum. Rooney is actively engaged in the Thoroughbred industry through his family's Shamrock Farm in Maryland, where he currently serves on the board of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association

Rooney, 50, is a native of Philadelphia who served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida's Districts 16 and 17 that comprise an area bordering the Gulf Coast in the south-central portion of the state. Rooney was interviewed by Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick.

When he was running for president, Joe Biden asked, “Why should you get a (tax) break for racehorses and not get a break for child care?” How would you answer that question?
Tax relief for child care costs supports our country's working families. It is the right thing to do. It's also the right thing to do to make sure that the tax code treats investments properly, especially when that investment is in an industry like ours that isn't well understood. Owning, raising, and training Thoroughbreds is the economic foundation of our industry, supporting thousands of family farms and open working space. The majority of breeding operations are small, local farms that are incredibly important to the economic health of their communities.

How important is preservation of the depreciation for racehorses and other tax benefits to the health of the industry? Is there any danger they could be taken away?
It's very important to make sure the tax law is an accurate reflection of the economics of this industry, and the current rule regarding depreciation is set to expire at the end of this year. This is something the NTRA is already focused on that will be a big priority for me out of the gate. Additionally, some of the tax relief that was included in the 2017 legislation will begin to sunset or change in other ways over the next few years and those could impact investment in racehorses. Our work to maintain or expand these provisions is at the top of our agenda.

Where does the racing industry stand with its political action committee? Is Horse PAC large enough to give the industry a chance to be heard by Members of Congress?
Whether people like it or not, campaign contributions are a big part of how our political system works. Horse PAC is vitally important to our efforts in Washington. Not only do we have to raise and distribute money, but I need to be at the table to go shoulder to shoulder with the other industries competing for legislation that benefits them.

What challenges do you see coming up in Washington, D.C., relative to the startup of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority?
Change isn't always easy and, in this case, we are looking at implementing a new system of federal oversight. This is a substantial change, involving coordination among the FTC, the HISA Authority, USADA and industry stakeholders. It's going to take consensus and collaboration. We can't turn back here. The old system was not serving us well both practically and in terms of public perception.

What were your views on HISA (and previous attempts at similar legislation) during your years in Congress and what are they today?
I never got a chance to vote for HISA as I was already out of Congress when it passed, but I would have voted in support. In addition to the comprehensive reforms it enables, it also gives us a chance to show the public and government leaders that we are addressing fundamental safety issues and are headed in the right direction. We have to give HISA a chance to succeed.

The vision for the NTRA has evolved from a “league office” that at one time was operationally merged with the Breeders' Cup. Among other things, it incorporated marketing and promotion, broadcast rights, racing sponsorships, group purchasing and advocacy in Washington, D.C. What would you say are the NTRA's top priorities today?
I can't really speak to what happened 15-20 years ago. RIght now, the NTRA's top priority is to build on our track record at the federal level, to make sure our political leaders understand the important economic contributions our industry generates, that they appreciate our collective responsibility and commitment to the safety and welfare of our athletes.

New NTRA president and CEO Tom Rooney (center) presenting a trophy at the Maryland Million

Your family has been involved in the NFL for many years as owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers. What did the NFL do to become so popular over the last 30 or 40 years that horse racing failed to do?
The NFL and major network television were a perfect marriage. The irony is that in the early days of the Steelers, our family's racing operations provided the funding that kept the team alive.

I'm bullish on Thoroughbred racing. Even with the issues of the last few years, the sport has built a reservoir of goodwill with the public. Interest remains strong — the Kentucky Derby this year had higher ratings than the World Series, the Masters and the NBA Finals. A national survey of sports bettors this summer showed horse racing as their sixth favorite sport to bet. We were behind football, basketball, baseball, soccer and boxing but ahead of golf, hockey, tennis and several others.

How do you see sports betting on the competitive landscape? Is there any upside from it for horse racing?
It's here and it's only going to get bigger, so we need to view sports betting as an opportunity. This is a highly engaged audience of people who enjoy betting and many of them may not currently bet on racing. Thoroughbred racing is premier betting content that should be attractive to this audience. It is important that we integrate racing into sports betting platforms and it is encouraging that it is already happening with examples like FanDuel Racing and NYRA's partnership with BetMGM.

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The Huge Gamble That Paid Off: Remembering The Inaugural Breeders’ Cup

This is the 38^th time, going back to 1984, that I join horsemen, horseplayers, racing media and fans in anxiously awaiting the list of pre-entered horses for the Breeders' Cup that will be released for public consumption on Wednesday.

Back in the 1980s when I was working in the Los Angeles office of Daily Racing Form, the Nov. 10, 1984, date of the inaugural running and the details – a seven-race $10-million extravaganza – were put in print so frequently in the long run-up to the event that they were burned into memory.

I recently came across the West Coast special edition of the Form that our office produced for that first-ever Breeders' Cup at now defunct Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. For $1.75, readers got the regular Daily Racing Form along with a 96-page insert featuring cover art by Pierre “Peb” Bellocq and chock-full of Breeders' Cup news, features and past performances for the day's races.

The lead news story on this revolutionary day of racing and the main column in the Breeders' Cup special section were, naturally, written by Daily Racing Form's esteemed executive columnist, Joe Hirsch. Hirsch quoted John Gaines, the man who created the Breeders' Cup, about the event's prospects for having a long-term impact on the industry: “The test of time has still to be met,” Gaines told Hirsch, “but on the eve of the inaugural, it looks to me like the Breeders' Cup is here to stay.”

Though he wasn't without an ego and for the greater good of the event opted to step away from active oversight of the Breeders' Cup during its formative years, Gaines was quick to praise others who helped transform his idea into reality.

“Ideas don't climb mountains,” Gaines told Hirsch. “People climb mountains. The reason the Breeders' Cup is here today is because of men like Johnny Nerud, Brownell Combs, Bunker Hunt, John Mabee and others who have worked so hard on its behalf.”

Hirsch was such an icon in racing media that he got a sneak preview of the Cup before Gaines unveiled the concept at a Kentucky Derby week luncheon in 1982. Gaines invited Hirsch to a breakfast meeting, promising him that the meeting would lead to “the most important story” he would ever write.

The concept at the outset was for the Breeders' Cup to be almost fully funded through foal and stallion nominations. Simulcasting was in its infancy, and neither that nor hospitality and ticket sales were seen as significant contributors to Breeders' Cup's early success. For the program and funding mechanism to work, Gaines needed the support of his fellow breeders and stallion owners.

“I realized it was a huge gamble because it involved motivating people to work together who have spent their lives competing against each other,” Gaines told Hirsch. “Needless to say, there was a lot of give and take when everyone got together. There were diverse points of view, but accommodations were made and there were many compromises. People fought hard for what they thought was right. I would say it was a quintessential American experience. … It was like a group of mountain climbers climbing the mountain while tied together. If we fell, we were going to fall together, but I think now we are standing at the top together.”

Gaines said he could see changes to Breeders' Cup from time to time. “The program is not cast in stone,” he said. “We're trying to put on the best show possible, and if we can see a way to improve it with change, then changes will be made.”

As noted, the original Breeders' Cup was a one-day, seven-race event, with five races each offering a $1-million purse, the Turf offering $2 million and the Classic $3 million. It's grown to 14 championship races spread over two days with purses now totaling $31 million, topped by the $6-million Classic.

Stallion and foal nominations, while still an important part of funding, have been joined by simulcast wagering and ticketing as key revenue generators, along with sponsorships. The inaugural Breeders' Cup is the only one where on-track wagering of $11,466,941 was more than the simulcast handle, $8,009,109. The last two years, simulcasting wagering exceeded $150 million over the two days. Ticket prices for the event have accelerated just as much as wagering.

NBC Sports, led by its Standardbred-owning president, Arthur Watson, was “all in” from the outset, scheduling four hours on network television and putting together a 10-person broadcast team led by Dick Enberg and Dave Johnson. Michael Weisman, executive producer for the telecast, told Daily Racing Form's George Bernet, “This type of production is unprecedented and we're geared up for it with our best people. We are treating this event as we would a World Series or Super Bowl … which it is.”

That first championship day was as good as anyone could have hoped for. So was the NBC Sports telecast that I watched on a small TV in the Form's Bimini Place editorial office (someone had to work, putting together Monday's results issue!).

There was instant credibility when Chief's Crown won the Juvenile as the odds-on favorite to seal an Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male, winning for the sixth time in nine starts. Finishing second behind the Danzig colt was Tank's Prospect, who would win the 1985 Preakness. Third-place finisher Spend a Buck would go on to score in the Kentucky Derby and become the champion 3-year-old male and 1985 Horse of the Year.

There were outstanding performances by the likes of Eillo in the Sprint, Royal Heroine in the Mile and Princess Rooney in the Distaff. Lashkari lodged a massive 53-1 upset in the Turf, defeating the globe-trotting 1983 Horse of the Year All Along.

Wild Again (inside) holds off Gate Dancer to win first Breeders' Cup Classic at 31-1

There was drama in the day's second race when Fran's Valentine was disqualified from first for interference at the stop of the stretch in the Juvenile Fillies, making Outstandingly the winner. But that was nothing compared to what would come with the stretch run of the Classic when Wild Again emerged with a narrow victory at 31-1 odds over Gate Dancer and 3-5 favorite Slew o' Gold. Adding to the intrigue was the fact that Wild Again, making his 16^th start of the year, was supplemented to the race by his connections at a cost of $360,000 in hopes of winning first prize of $1,350,000.

Jockey Pat Day moved Wild Again to the lead down the backstretch and held off Slew o' Gold and Angel Cordero Jr. and a hard-charging Gate Dancer and Laffit Pincay Jr. the length of the stretch to win by a head over Gate Dancer. Slew o' Gold was another half-length back, but stewards quickly lit the inquiry sign for the second time that day after the three horses exchanged bumps as they raced to the wire. After a lengthy deliberation, stewards left Wild Again as the winner but disqualified Gate Dancer from second to third for causing most of the problems by lugging in to the other two horses.

John Gaines' huge gamble paid off. The Breeders' Cup was off and running. It clearly has stood the test of time now, and I can't wait for the next chapter.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Colorado Test Barn Caper

One way to beat a bad drug test is for the split sample to disappear. At least that's the working theory behind a break-in at the test barn at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colo.

Natalie Voss, editor-in-chief for the Paulick Report, joins publisher Ray Paulick in this week's edition of the Friday Show to recount the Colorado test barn caper that Voss wrote about earlier this week, including security lapses and missteps investigators appeared to make along the way.

While Arapahoe is not a major racing circuit, Voss points out several things racing officials around the country can learn from this unusual crime in the Centennial State.

Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills reviews the performance of this week's Woodbine Star of the Week, the 5-year-old mare Mutamakina, who led a 1-2 finish for trainer Christophe Clement in the Oct. 17 renewal of the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at the Toronto, Ontario, track, giving jockey Dylan Davis his first career G1 victory.

Watch this week's Friday Show, presented by Woodbine, below:

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View From The Eighth Pole: Of Rulings And Squeaky Clean Racing

We get questions all the time from readers about rumored drug positives or possible suspensions of trainers. It's seldom easy tracking down official rulings since there is no single, all-encompassing resource that provides timely, up-to-date information on such things.

In another era, Daily Racing Form was the go-to publication for stewards and commission rulings. The Form had a chart-calling crew at every racetrack in the country and forwarded copies of all official rulings to DRF offices. The rulings were published alongside entries and race results, sometimes almost as fillers, in editorial or statistical sections of the Form. If you wanted to find out who got caught smoking in the shedrow, parking illegally in the stable area or was fined or suspended for a post-race positive test, America's Turf Authority had 'em all.

Now it's not so easy.

The Jockey Club operates a website, ThoroughbredRulings.com, where you can search for regulatory rulings by trainer name, track or regulatory authority. But the information published there is not always complete or timely.

The Association of Racing Commissioners International keeps a regularly refreshed page of recent rulings – not just for Thoroughbred racing but also Quarter Horse and Standardbred – but it's also not entirely up to date or comprehensive and there is no search function to find rulings that may be more than a few weeks or months old. The ARCI does have a more comprehensive website for its members to access but it is not available to the general public (or media).

Individual racing commissions or government bureaus post rulings on their websites with varying degrees of efficiency and functionality. Some, like the New York State Gaming Commission or California Horse Racing Board web pages, are maintained regularly and have useful search functions. Others, like the Maryland or Indiana racing commissions, have outdated or incomplete information.

This is something that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority can put on its “to do” list, though not sure where that project will rank by priority.

Squeaky Clean Racing In New York
In searching the New York State Gaming Commission website recently, I could only find one ruling for a medication violation in all of 2021 at New York Racing Association tracks – a phenylbutazone positive for Jeffrey Englehart-trained Runningwscissors after a third-place finish in a stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 9. The ruling states that Runningwscissors was disqualified from any part of the purse money (though Equibase still credits the horse with a third-place finish and the purse money). Englehart served a 10-day suspension and was fined $1,000.

I could find zero positive tests in the New York State Gaming Commission rulings database in 2020 and zero positives in 2019 for NYRA tracks. Zero. That's one positive for the last three years at NYRA tracks.

By comparison, in 2019, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission reported 37 medication related rulings. California had 99. Pennsylvania 80. Florida 55. West Virginia 57. Ohio 24.

Perhaps New York's testing laboratory at Morrisville State College, under the direction of Dr. George Maylin, is using different criteria for calling positive tests than laboratories testing for other racing states. Maybe the Morrisville lab isn't very good. Or maybe, just maybe, racing in New York is cleaner than anywhere else in the country.

While I don't know about the criteria used by Maylin to call positives, the idea that his lab is not very good is foolhardy. Maylin was the head of drug testing at Cornell University going back to the early 1970s until moving his test tubes and lab kits to Morrisville State College in 2010. That's nearly 50 years of being the kingpin for drug testing of New York racing, bridging Oscar Barrera to Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis.

The only conclusion I can come up with for the absence of medication violations in New York is that there aren't any. Not only is there no cheating going on, but horsemen there don't make the kinds of mistakes they occasionally do in other jurisdictions or have contamination issues from poppy seed bagels and grooms urinating in stalls. It must be the cleanest racing in the U.S.

Well done, New York racing. Well done.

That's my view from the eighth pole.

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