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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Groundhog Day isn't for another 2 1/2 weeks, but when a Florida House of Representatives subcommittee on Wednesday debated a newly retooled version of previously controversial decoupling legislation that is being pushed by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, there was a distinct flavor of deja vu in the Tallahassee state house. Just like in 2025, a similar group of legislators on the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee were considering essentially the same proposed bill that would allow either of Florida's two Thoroughbred tracks to cease live racing while retaining their gaming rights. And just like last year, when a version of his decoupling measure ended up getting passed in the House but not the Senate, its same sponsor, Rep. Adam Anderson, claimed his goal of decoupling was to actually “support” the Thoroughbred industry. During Jan. 14 testimony in support of HB 881, Anderson highlighted how this year's updated version of his bill would require the tracks to give notice of racing suspension as of July 1, 2027, with racing required to continue for at least three years after that notice of intent got filed. In almost exact carbon-copy fashion as 12 months ago, Thoroughbred industry participants and several legislators sympathetic to the concerns of stakeholders fired back with reams of impressive economic-impact statistics, impassioned stories about their love of horses and the importance of continuing multi-generational family legacies involved in the sport. Additionally, horsemen once again articulated how they feel their trust is being abused by track operators who, decades ago, leveraged the support of the racing community to establish a gaming-at-tracks paradigm that Gulfstream and Tampa now want to abandon by having the option to walk away from hosting horse races while retaining the benefits of the respective slot-machine and card-room privileges that the partnership of horsemen made possible. To be sure, there were also the same queries of confusion by some legislators who, year after year, find it difficult to grasp the complex inner workings of how horse racing meshes with the overall gaming landscape, which in Florida is intricately linked by intertwined requirements involving a state compact with an Indian Tribe, various pari-mutuel statutes, local referendums and commission-level oversight. Thus, given the repetitive, cyclical nature of all of the above, it was not surprising that the end result of Wednesday's voting ended up with the same result as last year, as the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee reported HB 881 as “favorable.” Just like last year, a nearly identical companion bill has been filed in the Florida Senate, but it has yet to come up before a committee for a recommendation either way. After the hearing, a press release from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA), termed the vote an “expected outcome.” Lonny Powell, the FTBOA's chief executive officer, added that, “The bill has a long path ahead and we will continue making the case for Florida's Thoroughbred industry at every opportunity.” Powell wasn't kidding about the “long path” prediction. All of this happened on just day three of the House's 2026 session, which is scheduled to go at least until Mar. 13. HB 881 must next clear the House Commerce Committee, where it is up for consideration with no hearing date yet posted. Racing and breeding stakeholders have fought Florida's looming threat of decoupling almost since right after Gulfstream and Tampa first got gaming two decades ago. On Wednesday, at least to those within the horse industry, the descriptions of the decoupling bill by its sponsor, Anderson, had to have resonated as a mind-boggling array of double-speak. “The whole intention of this legislation is to ensure that live racing does not end,” Anderson said. With specific regard to a committee member's question about how decoupling might affect live racing at Tampa, Anderson postulated that, “we don't believe there will be any impact at all to Tampa Bay Downs.” Asked a similar question about Gulfstream, Anderson replied, “this bill is providing [a] pathway to preserve the industry” that “guarantees racing into the future.” Powell, who said he was testifying on behalf of not just the FTBOA but of all of the united horsemen-supported spheres of influence in the state, told legislators not to buy what he alleged was Anderson's intentional use of opaque language. “Though it may be said this [bill] does good for the Thoroughbred industry, what that means, as presented so far, [is] 'good for the Thoroughbred racetracks,'” Powell said. “As far as the horse people, it's not good. We oppose it. We oppose it just like we did last year. Decoupling is just, simply, not being committed to live racing, [and] the revenue share that used to go to the horse people gets kept by the racetracks,” Powell said. “You'll hear much more about the destruction of decoupling,” Powell forewarned. “You heard it all last session.” Powell told the committee members that when Anderson spoke of purported flexibility in the form of the bill's options to transfer racetrack permits, what the sponsor was really trying to do was execute a legislative strategy based on “permit confusion.” “It's an attempt to toss out lots of 'shining-star' options,” Powell explained. “However, they're all extremely speculative. Does anybody really know, especially as we try to look at the wording, which is not clear, are these certain options? Are these even realistic or even possible, [and] are they even viable economically?” Two committee members were clearly on the side of horsemen in opposing the legislation. One was Rep. Yvonne Hinson, whose district includes part of Marion County, the heart of Florida's Thoroughbred breeding and horse-raising territory. “Decoupling is a multi-billion-dollar threat to Florida's world-renowned Thoroughbred legacy,” Hinson said, echoing nearly verbatim arguments she made before the very same committee last year. “I beg you all not to destroy five or six generations of the Florida equine industry.” Another was Rep. Angie Nixon, whose district is in the northeast part of the state. “I believe in honoring contracts, especially contracts with voters. The casinos wouldn't have even been established if not for the races and the Thoroughbred owners. And so it doesn't make sense that now they can kind of be pushed out of the deal, so to speak,” Nixon said. No executives from either Gulfstream or Tampa spoke during the public testimony portion of the hearing. In summation of his bill just prior to the committee's vote, Anderson was given the floor one final time to make closing remarks. “It appears that most of the concerns here with this legislation is what the potential impacts could be if racing ceases in the state of Florida. Those are concerns that we are addressing in this bill,” Anderson said. “So I want to remind everyone that today, there is nothing that requires a track to continue racing. Today, any Thoroughbred racing permit-holder could stop racing tomorrow if they want, which would send shock waves reverberating through the industry, and would, in fact, cause a lot of the concerns that were being brought up today in public testimony,” Anderson said. “So I remind everyone of the provisions that we add in here: The transferability of licenses, to ensure that the industry can continue in the free market, [and] the four years of visibility and notice that doesn't exist today,” Anderson said. “Four years should be enough time if there is a Thoroughbred permit-holder that wants to get out of the industry. For whatever reason it is, that's enough time for the industry to adjust, enough time to transfer that permit, enough time to ensure that racing continues,” Anderson said. The bill then got reported favorably by the subcommittee by what appeared to be at least a 10-6 margin. (Several voice votes were inaudible during the roll call, and the Florida legislature's web page for the bill had not posted the official vote tally prior to deadline for this story.) The post Just Like Last Year, Decoupling Bill Clears Same Florida Subcommittee In First Legislative Hearing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a half-brother to Ace Impact. 12.23 Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Debutantes, 2yo, c/g, 10f (AWT) ARMANO (FR) (Waldgeist {GB}) is the seventh foal out of the remarkable Absolutly Me (Anabaa Blue), which makes him a half-brother to Cracksman's illustrious son Ace Impact who was the winner of this in 2023 before it was renamed in his honour. Bidding to make it a third win in the race for the dam's progeny after the subsequent Prix Royal-Oak hero Arrow Eagle in 2024, Waltraut Spanner's Jean-Claude Rouget-trained homebred meets the Wertheimers' Frankish (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a Yann Barberot-trained son of the 1,000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Dansili). Armano is also looking to add to Jean-Claude Rouget's tally in this, with the stable's eventual Grand Prix de Paris hero Leffard continuing the trend 12 months ago. The post Armano Follows In His Half-Brother Ace Impact’s Steps appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Edited Press Release The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) will reach its centenary on January 15, 2026. A brief history and major milestones of the organisation are below. Founded in January of 1926 as the Bloodstock Breeders Association of Ireland, the inaugural council was led by president Peter Fitzgerald and supported by Frank Barbour, Ernest Bellaney, Col. Ar. Blake, Isidore Blake, Capt. J. Cecil Brodie, Major J. Scarvell Cape, D.J. Cogan, Capt. Bernard Daly, S.C. Dawson, Major T.G.C. Gerard, W.P. Gill, J.W.A. Harrie, Albert Lowry, J.J. Maher, F.B. O'Toole, Senator J.J. Parkinson, G. Smithwick, J.C. Sullivan and C.T. Wallis, with F.S. Myerscough as the honorary secretary. Courtesy of the BBA of Ireland, there was a formal definition of an Irish-bred horse in 1943. The call for a national stud in 1944 demonstrated an understanding of the infrastructure required for longevity of the industry. The Association's engagement with the Government on transport conditions, effects of World War II, and its support for breeders during outbreaks of Foot and Mouth in the 1940s and strangles in the 1960s, reflected a readiness to assist Irish breeders when the industry was most vulnerable. For many years, The Irish Horse served as the Association's annual record—a publication that combined statistics, pedigrees, stallion fertility figures, and international reports with photographs and commentary. Discussions around an Irish Equine Research Centre in 1979 reflected a growing awareness of the scientific and veterinary demands of a modern breeding landscape. In 1975, the BBA of Ireland moved to its current location outside Goffs in Co Kildare and a few years later in 1981, the Association became known as the ITBA, with the amalgamation of the Irish Bloodstock Breeders Association and the Thoroughbred Mares Owners Association. For anyone with an interest in tracing the history of the Association, past records and minutes of the meetings are available to view on request—a reminder that the story of Irish breeding has always been shaped not only by great horses, but by the people and structures that supported them. For more information, visit the ITBA website. The post ITBA Celebrates 100th Anniversary On Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The finalists for the 2026 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, were revealed on Wednesday. The finalists will head to Ascot Racecourse for the ceremony, hosted by ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin on February 23 after a final round of judging earlier in the day. The finalists for each category are: Newcomer Award Emma Skerritt – Richenda Ford Freddie Wilks – Charlie Johnston Poppy Hatton – Folland-Bowen Bloodstock Leadership Award Carrie Sanderson – Karl Burke Claire Freeman – Dan Skelton Louisa Allen – Jim Boyle Rider / Racing Groom Award Ellie Jefferson – Christian Williams Kieran Kourdache – Karl Burke Michelle Kramer – Paul Nicholls Stud Award Dayna Walsh – Tweenhills James Goddard – Chasemore Farm Oleh Ihnatenko – Whitsbury Manor Stud Dedication Award Christopher Pattenden – Diana Grissell Derek Snaith – Charlie Fellowes Helen Halliwell – James Fanshawe Community Award Anna Collins – Chester Racecourse Geraldine Jones – Godolphin Hayley Clements – Micky Hammond Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, said, “My congratulations to this year's finalists, who are truly worthy of this accolade. The 2026 ceremony promises to be another memorable occasion as we celebrate the very best of British racing and breeding. “Everyone who was nominated, made the shortlists or got through to the final 18 should be immensely proud. You are all fitting representatives of the many individuals, yards, studs and communities across the country who make our wonderful industry the success it is. “A huge thank you to our sponsors Godolphin, our award partners at the Racing Post, Racing TV and Ascot Racecourse, and of course to our esteemed judging panel – who no doubt have the toughest job.” The post TIEA Finalists for 2026 Revealed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
It was a good year for the new management team at the Maryland racetracks, where the average daily handle at Laurel was up 13.49 percent and average per-race handle increased by 14.29 percent. To talk about what went right for Maryland racing last year, the future of the GI Preakness Stakes, the decision to form a circuit with Colonial Downs, and to report on the rebuild of Pimlico, Bill Knauf, the president and general manager of the nonprofit Maryland Jockey Club, joined the team for this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Knauf was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. “It was a really great first year for us,” he said. “When our new organization took over Jan. 1, we weren't quite sure what to expect. We started off a little slowly in January. I think, at the time, there was a lot of uncertainty about what Laurel was going to bring and what Maryland racing was going to bring. Then we really got some nice momentum going for the rest of the year. Because we shut down for two months in the summer, there was a substantial date reduction. We decided that when we race, let's put big fields out there. Let's put competitive fields out there. We chose to focus on some bets, like the 12 percent low-takeout Pick Five. We were doing some online handicapping contests. So there was a lot of focus after we could set the product the right way.” When it came to Laurel, Knauf and his team decided to focus even more heavily on grass racing. According to statistics from Horse Racing Nation, Laurel Park ranked third in the nation in the number of turf races run in 2025, behind only Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. From Apr. 1 to the close of the turf season on Thanksgiving Day, Laurel Park carded the most turf races of any racetrack in North America. “We have a fantastic turf course,” Knauf said. “I stepped into one of the largest in the country. Our turf maintenance guys do a fantastic job. So shout out to them. We've got six running lanes and that's a luxury. When I came here, I honestly didn't realize how big the turf course was. The turf course can really take quite a beating, and it really wasn't until the very end of November that we felt like we had to stop because it was in such great condition. The other part of it is that we have a natural break by not running in July and August, which means we can open it up in April and can run pretty strong on it until June. We can give it a nice two-month break, recuperate, and then come back and go September to November.” Laurel stopped racing for two months in the summer after a deal was worked out with Colonial Downs. The two Mid-Atlantic region tracks had been going head-to-head during those months, which was an unhealthy situation. Knauf said that the Colonial decision worked out well for the Maryland tracks. “It's a true point,” Knauf said when asked about the glut of tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region. “I think a lot of people recognize that. We started down the path with Colonial, and I also think that trying to work in conjunction with Delaware Park also makes sense. During our break, our horsemen actually ran just as much, if not more, at Delaware than they did at Colonial. I can't speak for Delaware, but I think it's a natural fit, as well. It's just trying to get to that point where we all can agree on when to run or when not to run and what the long-term focus should be. We can live without racing in July and August.” The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was One Nine Hundred (Dialed In), who earned a 104 Beyer figure after taking an allowance race at Aqueduct Jan. 9. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the red-hot sire Constitution. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, the KTOB and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley and Zoe Cadman discussed the latest problems at Monmouth Park and recapped remarks John Sikura made on the prior week's edition of the podcast, in which he called on the Breeders' Cup to offer financial assistance to the struggling California racing industry. The team also looked at some of the potential 3-year-old stars who have run during the early weeks of 2026 and previewed Saturday's GIII Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds, which carries Derby points. Click here, to listen to the Writers' Room podcast. To view the podcast as a video, click here. The post Maryland Jockey Club’s Bill Knauf Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented By Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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