OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A bill introduced into the Florida House of Representatives (HB 105) and the Florida Senate (SB 408) seeks to decouple licenses from the casino and racetrack at Gulfstream Park and the cardroom and racetrack at Tampa Bay Downs. If passed, this legislation would significantly alter the state’s thoroughbred industry and impact racing nationwide.

However, stakeholders within the industry are uniting in opposition, forming a coalition to combat the potential consequences of the bill. The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, co-founded by David O’Farrell of Ocala Stud, Dr. Barry Eisaman of Eisaman Equine, and Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, along with thoroughbred owners Aron Wellman (Eclipse Thoroughbreds) and Jon Green (D.J. Stables), was established to address this legislative threat.

The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative was founded to protect the thoroughbred industry from various threats, such as the decoupling bill that was introduced in the Florida legislature. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today

Economic and Industry Impact

The thoroughbred industry plays a crucial role in Florida’s economy, creating thousands of jobs, said David O’Farrell.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of support from the entire industry, which has been really gratifying. I think the industry at large understands the importance of this legislation and its potential consequences,”” said O’Farrell.  “This is just not a Florida issue; it’s become a national issue. We’ve had a lot of support from the industry to step up and try to defeat this bill and look for solutions for the future of Florida racing, Florida racing is very important to the ecosystem of racing nationwide and we’re going to do everything we can to preserve its future.”

To strengthen their efforts, the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative hired former Kentucky State Senator Damon Thayer as a senior advisor.

“Damon has been terrific,” said O’Farrell. “We had a conversation with Damon, and we hired him on the spot, and he’s taken the ball, and he’s run with it. He’s very accomplished, he’s very energetic, he’s very knowledgeable and understands the ins and outs of the thoroughbred business, works great with people. I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s come along at the right time. It’s a really good, diverse group. We’ve hit the ground running, made a lot of strides and we’re gaining momentum on this issue along with the efforts of the FTBOA, the horsemen’s group and OBS. We’re trying to unify the front, to make as much of an impact on this piece of legislation that we can.”

A Changing Landscape

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has witnessed the evolution of Florida racing over the past five decades.

“I’ve been living in Florida since I was five, 59 years. How could you ask for a better industry to have in your neighborhood?” Casse said. “We have racehorses that travel the world. We produce horses. People come from all over the world to buy our horses. OBS is the biggest 2-year-old sales company in the world. It will be damaged greatly if decoupling is allowed.”

Casse recalls when Florida’s racing circuit featured three major tracks competing for dates: Hialeah, Gulfstream, and Calder. Over time, ownership changes and legislative shifts altered the landscape.

“Mr. Stronach came in, and probably with good intentions, Frank Stronach himself loves horse racing,” said Casse. “But through their actions they wanted to run year-round, they wanted all the racing, and they got it. Now, all of a sudden, they don’t want to play anymore. I just don’t think our government realizes how damaging it will be. It won’t just be damaging to Florida – it will damage all of thoroughbred racing all over North America.”

Marion County’s thoroughbred industry is being threatened by decoupling the state’s two existing racetracks from their casino license, Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs from their cardroom. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today

With a $3.24 billion impact on Florida’s economy, the thoroughbred industry’s significance extends well beyond the state’s borders. Tampa Bay Downs is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, underscoring horse racing’s deep-rooted history in Florida.

“Horse racing in Florida is an ecosystem,” said Casse. “It survived. How many Derby and Oaks horses come to South Florida and Florida in the wintertime? They’ve been doing it for 100 years. I understand growth and things but at some point, do you just want houses, condos and townhouses everywhere? Isn’t it nice to be able to drive around and see farms and have an industry that’s environmentally clean? It’s beautiful and we stand to lose all that.”

A Product That Produces

Florida-bred horses consistently compete at top levels worldwide, but the industry’s impact extends beyond racing results, said Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

About 70% of the world’s 2-year-olds come through Ocala, Powell said. “Unlike a lot of state-bred programs, where they race against one another, Florida has always been one of those states, outside of the Florida Sire Stakes, where they compete against the best of the best, which means Kentucky and all other parts of the world, and when you see how well they perform on the racetrack.  That’s what it’s all about these day – breeding horses that can perform well on the racetrack.”

Marion and Levy Counties provide an ideal environment for training and preparing thoroughbreds, but the industry’s delicate ecosystem could be disrupted if legislative protections are removed.

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“The infrastructure we have, the training centers, the weather, the soil, the water, the minerals – there seems to be definitely something magic that happens up in this part of the state,” Powell said. “But having an outlet product is imperative.”

The decoupling legislation threatens an industry whose economic and cultural significance is far greater than many realize.

“Decoupling untethers the people running the horses at the races and it untethers the people breeding and selling the horses up at the farms or the interest of an entity that is going to have appraised property values and look to become something else,” said Powell. “That is why the fight has just begun. There’s a long way to go here. You want competitive, quality sound horses that can have a career at the racetracks. That’s part of our strong hand in this day and age.”

 

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