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After Delays and Discord, Turf Paradise Approved For Meet

Turf Paradise got unanimous 3-0 approval from the Arizona Racing Commission on Thursday to open its backstretch by the end of the month in anticipation of an 84-date, Jan. 4-May 1 racing season.

The meet will mark the first Thoroughbred racing in Arizona since Mar. 14, when Turf Paradise ended its spring season prematurely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August, Turf Paradise withdrew its dates request for a traditional 2020-21 autumn-to-spring meet, citing liability concerns related to COVID-19. In between, the Arizona Downs summer meet never ran because local health officials would not extend permission to reopen under pandemic conditions.

“On the 19th of this month the horsemen arrive to get their stalls ready. On the 25th, which is the day before Thanksgiving, the horses are scheduled to arrive,” said Turf Paradise general manager Vincent Francia, who added that he does not anticipate any horse population problems that would keep the track from sustaining a five-day (Monday-Friday) race week.

Leroy Gessmann, who serves as both the AZHBPA executive director and the National HBPA president, said that “[Wednesday] we toured the backside, and it was probably the best condition I’ve seen Turf Paradise since I’ve been here for 12 years. There is still work to be done, but it’s in the process. We’re all very excited about the meet and anxious to get started.”

The newfound spirit of cooperation between the AZHBPA and Turf Paradise stands in sharp contrast to the acrimony-tinged AZRC meeting Sept. 10, at which members of the state’s racing community railed at Turf Paradise and accused track management of allowing the property to fall into disrepair and not making an honest effort to conduct racing.

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Agreement In Place For Turf Paradise Meeting

Representatives of the Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) and the management of Turf Paradise in north Phoenix have signed an agreement that will allow for 84 days of live racing at the track beginning Jan. 1, 2020 and running through May 4, 2021.

The Arizona Racing Commission was to meet in special session Oct. 30 to approve the dates after a disagreement in the wording of the agreement between the two parties led to a 24-hour delay in submitting the plan to the ARC. The Commission will also consider contracts for simulcasting of next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup programs at Keeneland. The request for the approval of the 84-day meeting will now be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled meeting of the ARC Nov. 12.

“Many thanks to Arizona Racing Director Rudy Casillas for hosting the forum for dialogue between the two parties,” said Turf Paradise’s General Manager Vincent Francia. “An equal amount of thanks to AZHBPA President Bob Hutton and track owner Jerry Simms for committing to dialogue until everything was resolved. Now, it’s time to race. “There’s a lot to do in a short time, but we’ll be ready.”

Racing will take place five days a week from Monday to Friday with post time at 12:30 p.m. local time. The lone exception is Kentucky Derby day May 1. Horsepeople will begin arriving Nov. 19 to prepare their barns, with horses to follow Nov. 25. The first conditions book and stakes schedule can be found at www.turfparadise.com.

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Turf Paradise, Arizona HBPA Sign Agreement For 2021 Meet

Turf Paradise management and the Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) have signed an agreement to hold an 84-day live race meet at the Phoenix, Ariz., track, running from Jan. 4 through May 1, 2021.

An 11th-hour snafu over wording in the agreement between the two parties caused the 24-hour deadline for submission of agenda items to the Arizona Racing Commission to be missed. The Commission is scheduled to meet in special session on Friday, Oct. 30, to approve the race dates, as well to consider contracts for the upcoming Breeders' Cup simulcasts. The Commission will still meet to approve the contracts. The request for approval of the 84-day meet will now be scheduled for the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Commission on Nov. 12.

“Many thanks to Arizona Racing Director Rudy Casillas for hosting the forum for dialogue between the two parties,” said Turf Paradise's general manager Vincent Francia. “An equal amount of thanks to AZHBPA President Bob Hutton and track owner Jerry Simms for committing to dialogue until everything was resolved. Now, it's time to race.”

The 84-day meet will be conducted on a 5-day a week schedule, Monday thru Friday with post time set for 12:30 p.m. The lone exception to the schedule is Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 1.

Horsemen will arrive Nov. 19 to prepare their stalls; horses will arrive Nov. 25. The first condition book and stakes schedule are published at www.turfparadise.com.

“There's a lot to do in a short time,” said Francia. “But we'll be ready.”

The post Turf Paradise, Arizona HBPA Sign Agreement For 2021 Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Turf Paradise, Arizona HBPA Agree To 84-Day Meet In 2021

Turf Paradise and the Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) have agreed to resume live racing at the Phoenix-based oval with an 84-day meeting running from Jan. 2 through May 1, 2021.

The meet will run on a five-day a week schedule, Saturday thru Wednesday. Horsemen can arrive Nov. 19 for stall preparations and then bring horses into the stable area Nov. 25. Training will begin Dec. 2.

Following months of negotiations between the AZHBPA and Turf Paradise management, following a March 14 cancellation of the live meet in progress due to the Coronavirus, the two sides were able to craft a 26-point agreement. The forum for on-going discussions between the two sides was provided by Rudy Casillas, the Director for the Division of Racing, the state's regulatory body for the sport.

In a letter penned by Casillas and addressed to Bob Hutton, President of the AZHBPA and Jerry Simms, the owner of Turf Paradise, he said: “Many thanks to both of you for finally reaching terms to allow for the racing industry to move forward. The Licensees and horseracing patrons will be pleased.”

“The AZHBPA is all about live racing,” said Hutton. “The AZHBPA is enthusiastic to help provide the opportunity for horsemen to race close to home and be with their families. Racing close to home will help eliminate unnecessary travel expenses and financial anxiety for our members.”

“We're happy for our horsemen that they're going to be racing,” said Simms. “Unfortunately we still have to deal with Covid-19, and we will. We thank Rudy Casillas for bringing us together and getting this done.”

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