PTHA News 2014
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PTHA NEWS Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Newsletter We ARE Pennsylvania Racing Volume 4 2014 A Crucial Time in Our Legislature When the state legislature approved Act 71 in 2004, which In exchange for the support of the racing and breeding legalized slot machines at racetracks and stand-alone casinos industry, casino operators agreed to an assessment on their in Pennsylvania, it made a commitment to allocate a portion slots revenues that would be placed into a new fund, the Race of the money to the racing industry. During the debate Horse Development Fund. The fund offsets the lost revenue on the legislation, horse breeders and owners expressed and negative impact of slots on horse wagering, providing concern about the impact it would have on horse wagering money for purses and breeders incentives. in Pennsylvania, which had traditionally funded purses and breeders incentives. Our concerns were well founded: national But despite that legislative commitment that the funds would studies show that when slot machines are introduced at go solely to the racing and breeding industry, the legislature racetracks, pari-mutuel wagering at racetracks is reduced by has repeatedly raided the fund and used portions of it to fund up to 39 percent. other budgetary needs unrelated to the racing industry. (cont’d on page 5) 2014 Fall Festival Schedule Announced OWNERS APPRECIATION DAY SMARTY JONES DAY PA’s DAY AT THE RACES Saturday, August 23 Monday, September 1 Saturday, September 6 • Featuring 12 races w/ doubled • 10th anniversary of Smarty Jones’ • Featuring 11 races including purses, including Turning for Home S. Triple Crown run $100,000 Mrs. Penny S. and four • All owners with horses entered for • Featuring 12 races including $75,000 stakes: Marshall Jenny OAD will receive a free gift G3 Smarty Jones S., G3 Turf H., Banjo Picker S., Dr. Theresa • Free buffet lunch in the grandstand Monster H., G3 Greenwood Cup Garofolo Memorial & Roanoke S. • All purses enhanced 50% HALL OF FAME DAY PA DERBY & COTILLION DAY BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Saturday, September 13 Saturday, September 20 & 5K DAY Saturday, October 11 • Featuring 10 races including • Featuring 12 races including G1 $250,000 PTHA President’s Cup Cotillion H., G2 PA Derby, G3 Gallant • Featuring 10 races including • 2014 Hall of Fame Inductions Bob H., & Alphabet Soup S. Cornucopia S., First Responder S., throughout the card • All remaining races on card to have Silver Goblin Starter H. • 2014 PTHA Man of the Year Award purses doubled • Female jockey challenge Page 2 PTHANews August 2014 President’s Message Salvatore M. DeBunda, Esquire Since the introduction of slot machines in our state, money allocated to the horse racing industry through Act 71 has been a focal point in Harrisburg. Our opposition in the Pennsylvania state legislature adamantly tries to push our backs against the wall, but PTHA Executive Director Mike Ballezzi and I, along with our fellow lobbyists and the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition, refuse to allow them to take what is rightfully ours. Each and every year, we must push for our money to stay in the Race Horse Development Fund. Four out of the past five years, nearly $50 million was taken each year to help balance the state’s budget. Through a determined effort by the PA Equine Coalition, we succeeded in reducing that amount for the new fiscal year to $17.6 million. While there will be approximately $177,000 per week removed from purses here at Parx, I want to stress a few important points. This will not affect our healthcare and pension plans. Also, after the initial 22 weeks in which funds will be removed by the state, both purses and breeders awards will return to their original amounts. In addition, we are glad that new eyes will be focused on those diverted funds in the future, thanks to the recent report by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. We have been saying all along that funds were being misused, and this report only solidifies the evidence. As summer moves towards fall, we are preparing for an exciting Fall Festival here at the PTHA, kicking off on Saturday, August 23rd with our sixth annual Owners Appreciation Day. Three weeks later, we will present the 2014 Man of the Year Award along with the $250,000 PTHA President’s Cup. That same day, we will induct nine new members into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame, including one of my own horses, Roamin Rachel. I would like to congratulate the other new inductees, especially my fellow PTHA Board members: Mike Ballezzi, Steve Appel, and Phil Aristone. And of course, on Saturday, September 20th, we will crown two three-year-olds in the winner’s circle following our signature events of the year: the $1,000,000 Cotillion H. (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G2). We hope to see you here! Did You Know? Text message alerts from the Racing Office are back! To enroll, text “parxracing” to 95577 from your cell phone. All trainers MUST provide the Racing One of the easiest ways to support Turning for Home’s Office with a copy of their current workmen’s retiring racehorses is to donate $100 each time you win a compensation race at Parx! The Horsemen’s Bookkeeper can set up an information prior to automatic payment on your account at any time. Just call shipping in. 215-639-9000 x3315 or x3389 to get started. August 2014 PTHANews Page 3 Parx Horsemen Around the Nation June 15 - PEGASUS S. (G2) July 5 - DELAWARE OAKS (G2) Monmouth Park, 1 1/16 miles Delaware Park, 1 mile 3rd - LYNX 2nd - JOINT RETURN O: Peachtree Stable O: Main Line Racing Stable T: Cathal A. Lynch T: John C. Servis J: Frankie Pennington J: Kendrick Carmouche 3rd - AIBHILIN July 3 - BEAUTIFUL DAY S. O: Margaret & David Wimer Delaware Park, 6 furlongs T: Cathal A. Lynch Falling Sky held off longshot Mezzano to win the Donald Le Vine 2nd - OFFLEE GOLDEN J: Edwin Rivera O: Pewter Stable Memorial Handicap under Edgar Prado on June 21. The four-year- old colt has now earned over $385,000 for owners Newtown Anner T: Kathleen A. DeMasi July 12 - FORT DELAWARE S. Stud & Joseph Bulger. Falling Sky is trained by George Weaver. J: Kendrick Carmouche Delaware Park, 6 furlongs Last year’s defending champion Traffic Light finished third. 2nd - WON THE WAR Photo: Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO July 5 - OH SAY S. O: Momentum Stud Delaware Park, 6 furlongs T: Scott Lake 2nd - FAVORITE TALE J: Joshua Navarro O: PJG Stable T: Guadalupe Preciado July 12 - SWEET AND SASSY S. J: Jose Flores Delaware Park, 6 furlongs 2nd - WINNING IMAGE O: Martin Scafidi T: Michael Charles Aro J: Jose Caraballo July 20 - MISS WOODFORD S. Monmouth Park, 6 furlongs 1st - STORMY NOVEL O: Cam Allard T: John C. Servis Steeplechasers came to Parx on July 1st! Three races were held J: Kendrick Carmouche throughout the card, with the winners being PA-bred gelding All the Photo: EQUI-PHOTO Way Jose, six-time winner Choral Society, and former Saratoga flat race stakes winner Harrods Creek. Photo: Kim Pratt OUR FIRM’S SUCCESS DEPENDS ON OUR CLIENTS’ SUCCESS. Archer & Greiner is a full-service, regional law firm of more than 175 attorneys with a network of seven offices and a well-earned reputation for providing high-quality, results-driven legal services in a broad range of disciplines Assateague, under jockey Joel Rosario, wired the Dr. James and industries. Archer & Greiner attorneys have been Penny Memorial (G3) on July 8th for trainer Michael Matz. meeting the needs of Fortune 100 companies, small to The 5yo daughter of Stormy Atlantic is a homebred for Helen Alexander, Helen Groves and Dorothy Matz. Photo: Nikki Sherman medium-sized businesses and individuals throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond for more than 80 years. For more information on our firm contact us at (215) 963-3300 or email [email protected]. Ben’s Cat posted a three-peat in the G3 Parx Dash on July 12th. HADDONFIELD, NJ PHILADELPHIA, PA PRINCETON, NJ FLEMINGTON, NJ Under rider Julian Pimentel, he stormed down the center of the turf WILMINGTON, DE GEORGETOWN, DE NEW YORK, NY www.archerlaw.com course en route to the victory, propelling him over the $2 million- mark for owner The Jim Stable and trainer King Leatherbury. Photo: Nikki Sherman Page 4 PTHANews August 2014 August 2014 PTHANews Page 5 A Crucial Time in Our Legislature (cont’d from page 1) As a result, since 2010, the legislature has diverted more As a result of our efforts, we were able to keep the amount than $200 million in funding designated for the racing and of funding that was diverted from the RHDF to the same breeding industry. Fortunately, we have made great strides level as last year - $17.6 million. While any diversion of in educating legislators about the importance of the Race funding is unfortunate, keeping the diversion to the same Horse Development Fund as a major source of Pennsylvania amount as last year was a signicant accomplishment given jobs, as an economic driver of Pennsylvania’s equine and the budget environment which required the legislature to agriculture industries, and as a major force in farmland and make cuts to a wide range of programs. open space preservation. This $17.6 million is expected to be used to help fund In 2010, the legislature diverted $68.8 million from the the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Pennsylvania Fairs, the Race Horse Development Fund to the state “General Fund” Animal Health Commission, and the Pennsylvania to help balance the state budget. But as a result of our Veterinary Laboratory.