H.B.P.A. Article May 2010

 

If I may borrow from an old saying, there is a whirlwind of activity at Fairmount Park these days.

We are in the middle of electing a President and ten Directors to the H.B.P.A. board.

We are also at this writing two weeks from starting our 2010 race meet.

And on the legislative front, we are still in the running to pass a slots bill.

There has been a flurry of activity in the courts as far as the impact fee money is concerned. Motions are flying right and left. The good news is that we have prevailed in the Will County court on H.B..4347 which is the second part of the 3% money and also have won the battle concerning the interest on H.B.1918. The not so good news is that the lawyers for the boats keep pulling rabbits out of their hats which is holding the big money up, and the State is appealing the decision on the interest money. So let’s get this straight. We are depending on the State’s lawyers to get the impact fee money while at the same time we are fighting the State on the interest money. Well let’s talk about some good news for a change. After some eleven years, the 10^th license is finally in sight. It was announced that ground will be broken in June for the new casino in Des Plains. In case you’ve forgotten in the last decade, 15% of the A.G.R. of this goes to the horse equity fund. Yea! Now what could prevent this money from coming in? Well we could get slots, or a permanent impact fee, or the General Assembly could pass a new law taking the money away from us, or the world could come to an end. Considering what we’ve gone through, nothing would surprise me.

 Let me go back and talk about our meet this year which starts on September 27. Opening week should be outstanding! The first day will be the beginning of our relationship with TVG as far as live racing. The first Friday will kick off Friday at the Park which always results in an overflow crowd. And speaking of overflow crows the next day is DERBY DAY !

 We are also debuting our new relationship with Quarter Horse racing. Gene Allen with input from the H.B.P.A and Fairmont have put together a very exciting program. There will be 22 total races building up to the largest Quarter Horse purse in history in this part of the country, a $100,000 stake race. There will be a series of time trials leading up to the big race which has already drawn interest from top horses all over the country.

 So all in all I’d say we will have the best 52 day meet we’ve ever had.

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Well here we go again. As we enter into spring its déjà vu all over again. We are making our annual trips to Springfield in an effort to get a slots bill passed, the Hawthorne spring meet is under way and Fairmount horsemen are getting their horses fit for the upcoming meet. Once again we have found yet another reason to believe we have a chance to get a gaming bill passed. Its usually the reason is the state is broke so surely they will pass a bill. However the state has been broke for so many years that theory doesn’t hold much water anymore. Then we’ve gotten our hopes up because so many counties have opted out of the video poker machines. The State needs the money so badly for the capitol plan and what would be easier that just putting the machines at racetracks. Tracks sell lottery tickets so they are already vetted by the Gaming Board. Also keep in mind that the VLT bill has already passed. Another encouraging thing is the fact that the Speaker has opened the door for a slots bill. In the past every bill we have managed to pass has come from the Senate only to die when arriving in the House.

In addition, the Governor has said he would be open to slots at tracks. So it would seem that we actually have a chance this time around. But Wait! Its time to through in a little pinch of reality. First, it’s an election year and legislators who are targets might be hesitant to vote for a gaming bill in an election year. And then there is the always present elephant in the room. CAN THE HORSE INDUSTRY COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON A BILL?  That might be the hardest thing of all. Isn’t it totally unbelievable that an industry that is in such decline couldn’t come together as one when the alternative is going out of business?

 

We are in the process of electing a President and 10 Directors to the H.B.P.A. board. By the time this article comes out the ballots should have been mailed. If you ran a horse at Fairmount last year you might be eligible to vote. If you think that’s the case and haven’t received a ballot please contact us and we will make sure you get to participate in the election.

 

We are excited that the Illinois Quarter Horse Assn has chosen Fairmount to be their home base. Working with their President Gene Allen and Executive Director Greg Szymski as well as Fairmont Park ad TVG, we believe we have put together an exciting program that will benefit Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred horsemen this year.

 

A couple of weeks ago a little girl named Hanna walked into the office and handed us an envelope. It was addressed to the R.A.C.E. program. As it turns out Hanna had gone around and collected $300 to help care for the retired race horses in the program. When I was her age I wanted a bike for my birthday. But Hanna wanted to give instead of receive. I think we adults have a lot to learn from this special young lady. Thanks Hanna. Happy Birthday

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Condition number two depended on a labor agreement being made between the I.R.B. and their five state employees at Fairmount. This was a long process but the two parties did come to an agreement. When this was accomplished, the board gave us the go ahead to run a 52 day meet.

This period was tough on all parties involved and certain people took sides and friendships were tested.

The bottom line however is the fact that an agreement was reached and a lot of jobs were saved. The horsemen and members of eight labor unions are thankful.

 One of our longest and certainly most successful owners has decided to call it quits. Lou O’Brien who has dominated racing downstate as well as Hoosier Park recently announced that he is getting out of the business. Lou leaves the sport with some amazing accomplishments. He was the runner-up several times as far as wins in the nation and also won that honor which is a remarkable feat. We go a long way back with Lou and his family, as he is my wife Janice’s first cousin. He is responsible for getting us in the business and has helped us others in many ways over the years. In addition to being an icon in our business, Lou has built a very successful food brokerage business in St. Louis.

He also served the horsemen for several years as President of the H.B.P.A.

 

Thing will not be the same without Lou O’Brien. To Lou, Lois and their family, we wish you all the very best in the future.

 

The spring legislative session is under way and sure enough we are trying to pass a slots bill again.

The chance of it happening will depend on the same things we face every year. The Governor, Speaker, Senate President and the Mayor must all be for it. Then there’s the little matter of having the votes and oh yes the tracks and horsemen must agree on a bill. Do you believe in miracles?

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This is a difficult article to write because there are so many important things going on but none of them have reached a resolution yet.

There is the matter of our 2010 racing dates. There were two conditions put on us by the I.R.B. in order to run 52 days. The first was for Fairmount to raise its privilege tax from .025%

to .075%.  This was to be done in the Fall veto session and be effective January 1. This proved impossible to do because no tax bill were called in the session. However we were able to

get the amount of money that the tax increase would have brought included in the Budget Implementation Bill. The Board accepted this and at a special dates hearing in December

changed the order and gave us until June 15 2010 to pass a bill raising the tax to .075%.

The second condition concerns the State employees at Fairmount. According to the dates order they must accept 75 paid work days for our 52 day meet. Under the order they have until January 5 to come to an agreement with the Board on the dates issue. We understand that the employees will wait until January 4 to announce their decision. If they agree with the 75 days we will race a 52 day meet. If they don’t, we will race only three days in 2010.

 

The next thing is the impact fee money. By now I’m sure everyone knows that the tracks have received the checks. However, they have been told to keep the money in a trust account

and not to spend he money until it is released by the courts. The casinos have pulled out all the stops in preventing us from using the money that the legislature said we were to get.

I hope that the legislators remember the total disregard the boats have shown to the General Assembly’s wishes and the blatant misuse of the court system. I hope the proceeds of H.B.1918 are released by the time you read this. But even if they are, we still will have to go through the whole thing again with the H.B.4377 money.

 

On a positive note, our annual Christmas party for the backside was a smashing success this year. About 125 people enjoyed a great dinner and Santa was on hand to make a lot of kids

very happy. This is one of the most enjoyable events the H.B.P.A. is privileged to put on each year. But I think it’s important to remind everyone that the staff of the H.B.P.A.

does countless things to help the horsemen during the year. Most of which go unnoticed by the majority but are appreciated by the ones receiving the help.

 

I hope that by the time this article comes out, all of our pending issues have been resolved in a positive way. I should tell you a bit about how A.D.W. has been working out. The

smartest thing we could have done was to align ourselves with TVG. The numbers have far exceeded all expectations. We look forward to a long relationship with them.

 

Congratulations to Dana Waier. Her mare Jabber continues to produce outstanding foals. Her recent win in the Jim Edgar stakes is the most recent example. Dana is such a nice person

and is so good for our sport.

 

In closing your H.B.P.A. President, Board of Directors, Staff and myself wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2010. We face many serious challenges, but all can be met with success

if we work as one. Happy New Year!!!!

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Well let’s start with some good news for a change. First, advance deposit wagering since becoming legal has exceeded expectations. At least TVG has. That’s the only report I see each day. The A.D.W. numbers are surpassing all of the O.T.B. parlors which has brought new and much needed revenue to our purse account. I believe this will continue as the TVG marketing plan continues to develop. Also, the Twin Spires purchase of You Bet. Com should drive competition which should be good for us all.

 

Second, we learned that the Circuit Court of Appeals denied the boats a stay on Friday November 13. I hope that we will have received the money by the time you read this.

 

Third, the possibility of a major gaming bill in the spring is alive and well. Even though we have gotten our hopes up for the last several years only to be disappointed, I have reason to believe that this year might be different. Here are some reasons why. 1. Mayor Daley finally has said that he wants a casino which has been what has killed any chances in the past. 2. At the end of the fall session Speaker Madigan was reported to have said that there will be a gaming bill in the spring.  Those are two things that must happen for a bill to be passed. 3. There have been more meetings about slots between members of the horse racing industry than ever before. 4. We just completed a hearing in Chicago held at the request of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability where the subject was video poker and slots at tracks. 5. The state is in the worst financial shape in its history. Borrowing from the pension fund and not paying bills to nursing home etc. just won’t fly this year. So if we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot as we are pretty good at, we might actually have a shot to get it done this year.

 

I’d like to congratulate Alan Monet for being appointed as a commissioner to the Illinois Racing Board. I believe this was a good move for several reasons. I think having a former rider on the board is a great idea and I believe Alan will bring a fresh new perspective. I’ve known Alan for years and have always found him to be a person of the highest character.

 

Fairmount horsemen continue to be very active at the Hawthorne meet. On some days about 30% of the fields contain horses from downstate. Because of the lack of live days at Fairmount, traveling to other tracks has become a way of life for our horsemen. Hopefully this will change in the near future with the passage of a major gaming bill.

 

I would like wish everyone a very happy holiday and a great new year. Hopefully the next time I write, we will have received the impact fee money and a gaming bill will indeed be on the table.

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Illinois racing is need of major change!  Our breeding program is in shambles and that’s not good. Everything starts with the breeding of our horses. We need top flight stallions to come back to Illinois which would result in horsemen buying and breeding quality mares once again without having to go out of state. Of course the typical answer to this problem is that the state and therefore the Department of Ag. are broke. Both are true of course, but that in my opinion is not where we begin. The first thing that must be done is to change the law. A few lines referring to the section concerning stallions is where to start. This would be easy to pass. Accomplishing this would put the Department in a position to put new money where it belongs. We have all been stuck in a mode of waiting for a bonanza of money to come along, but as the law is currently written we still wouldn’t be able to fix the breeding problem. That in my opinion is where we need to begin. Next, we need to insure that when we do succeed in passing legislation that helps horse racing, that the breeders are included. We recently passed the impact fee bill which will bring about 100 million to us. On October 13^th advance deposit wagering was certified by the Illinois Racing Board. This is estimated to do up to 200 million dollars a year. Both of these bills are going to bring much needed help to all facets of our industry except for one. That one is the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders Association. This cannot continue if the breeding program is to survive. I and others stand ready and have offered to help pass legislation but so far our offer has been rejected. I believe that A.D.W. is one of the biggest things that’s ever happened to Illinois racing. I see it as a new beginning for the future of Illinois racing.

 

In addition to fixing the breeding problem we need to continue to work toward a major gaming bill. The impact fee was a good start, but only a band aid. Passing A.D.W. is the most positive thing we have accomplished to this point. In addition to the money it will bring in, I believe it will open doors to further positive legislation. We must pass a major bill that will put Illinois racing on an equal level with other top racing venues. The bill must get rid of recapture, bring adequate funding to the breeders, and insure that the tracks can offer purses that will be competitive to those offered in other states. We can do this. We must do this.

 

Switching gears, I would like to congratulate Steve Manley for winning the training title at Hoosier Park this year. Fairmount trainers have dominated the Hoosier meet with Ralph Martinez winning the award for several years and now Steve taking the championship.

 

I’m sure by now everyone knows what the dates awards are for 2010. The Racing Board has projected a budget shortfall of over a million dollars for the upcoming year. In order to fill the deficit, they notified all of the tracks and horsemen’s groups that some belt tightening would be necessary. So, here’s the solution they came up with. Arlington gave up a few racing days (but once again got almost all of the dark time money). Hawthorne, Maywood and Balmoral also gave up a few race dates (but continue to reap the tremendous rewards of “host track status”). Those are the conditions the four tracks accepted in order to receive dates. Now let’s talk about the one remaining track……Fairmount. Here are the conditions that Fairmount had to meet in order to receive the fewest amount of dates in their history, 52 days.

 

0. Fairmount had to get legislation passed raising the privilege tax to .075% and this had to be done in the SIX day veto session
0. The state union employees must accept being paid for the amount of days that the board mandated.
0. If both of these conditions were not met? Fairmount would be awarded THREE racing days in 2010.

   

As of this writing I don’t know how all of this will turn out. But this I can tell you. We at Fairmount are survivors. We’ve proven it time and again. We most recently proved it when we were the track that brought the biggest and most aggressive A.D.W. company into the state, TVG. I’ve been hearing for years that we are going out of business and yet every year other than Arlington we lead all the other tracks in on track attendance and handle.

 

There must and will be major changes to Illinois racing in the near future and expect the downstate legislators and Fairmount Park to be an integral part of the changes.

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As it turns out I am writing this article on August 15 which is our last night of racing for 2009. I hate it! There are several reasons why. I hate it because the reason we are closing so early is the fact that the impact fee money is still tied up in the courts. The casinos have gotten every legislative break ex. going dockside in 1999 and this law suit is a slap in the face to every lawmaker in Springfield. I applaud the I.H.H.A. for pointing that out to them in a letter they have been sending each Friday.

I also hate closing early ( supposed to race until September 26) because our attendance has been unbelievable. We recently had the biggest Friday night in our 81 year history and last Tuesday August 11 was the biggest in nine years. I hate it because our horsemen won’t be able to race at home for about eight months. I hate that we didn’t get to run our Illinois stakes day which was blamed on me by several people. So let’s talk about that for a moment. First of all the decision to vacate days was made because of another legal maneuver by the casino lawyers. Our stakes were scheduled for August 26, so there was no time to run the races. A proposal came up to run the races at Arlington as a “warm up” for some “real” stakes to follow. That was totally unacceptable to us. First of all these stakes are for horsemen at Fairmount. If they would have been held in Chicago, they would have been reduced to nothing but $50,000 allowance races for the Chicago horsemen. In addition, there was no money to fund the races. Of the $300,000 half comes from the Department of Agriculture. Well guess what! They can’t afford to pay the $150,000. And as I am writing this it was announced today that Arlington is reducing their stakes by 10%. I doubt they would relish putting out the $300,000 at this point. I, the board, and the Department of Ag. did what we thought was right. Has anybody noticed that the State and horse racing are BROKE?  The stakes belong at Fairmount and we fully plan on running them next year, at Fairmount for Fairmount horsemen.

 

There have been a lot of rumors of the demise of Fairmount Park. Not so fast. Before everyone closes the lid on our coffin, let’s talk about a few things. I have every reason to believe that Advance Deposit Wagering will be the law by the time you read this. For the first time we at Fairmount are in a very good position concerning A.D.W. This will become evident as time goes on. The 10^th License is finally within sight. The impact fee money is on hold but will probably come at some point. The State is in the worst financial shape in its history, which always makes passage of a gaming bill a possibility. And I do believe that point might come when the 10^th license begins operation. Keeping in mind that the 15% that we are to receive comes from the State’s end not directly from the casinos. I think that will be the point where the legislature will see it as an advantage to make a deal with us. The deal would involve the 70 million from the 10^th casino staying in the education fund and giving horse racing the gaming bill that is so badly needed.

 Am I a dreamer? Probably. But I am not a quitter. If anyone doubts that there is a market for racing at Fairmount, just come and see for yourself. It’s unbelievable, and it’s worth fighting for.

 On a happier note the H.B.P.A. continued to provide services for the backside residents. Janice arranged a day at Splash City for the kids and parents. Over 50 people took advantage of the opportunity and had a great time.

Chaplin Charlie Mullins conducted vacation bible school which was attended by several backside kids and they loved it!

 In closing, I’m very happy to report that the R.A.C.E. program has proven to be more successful than we could have dreamed. To date, we have adopted out 17 horses to very good homes. Some of these had suffered serious injuries but are mending well.

We would like to thank all the horsemen who chose to participate in the program by donating $2 per start which was matched by Fairmount Park. This along with a successful fundraiser in the spring has allowed us to care for these horses until we could find them the “right” new home.

 The next few weeks and months are going to be very interesting for all involved in Illinois racing. I hope we will all keep fighting to preserve the sport we all love so much.

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It’s Official! The 2009 Fairmount season will end on Saturday August 15 which means we are giving back 18 of our allotted racing days. There was a provision in the 2009 dates order that allowed for a reduction of dates if the impact fee money didn’t come in a timely manner, and as we know it has not because of litigation brought on by the boats. This is simply another example of a calculated plan by the casino owners to put horse racing out of business. A systematic plan that’s gone on for 19 years. Since 1991 the boat owners have taken advantage of our weaknesses to further their cause. They have watched while our infighting has been duly noticed by Legislators in Springfield and taken advantage of this, causing them to receive repeated legislative breaks which has resulted in them replacing us as the most formidable gaming force in the State. They have outsmarted us at almost every turn. In 1999 when we “traded” them going dockside for 15% of the 10^th license, we should have insisted that the bill be written to say that the 10^th license monies had to be flowing before the dockside status was allowed. Well most lobbyist would say that the boats would have killed the bill before allowing that language to be in the bill. Well I say WHO CARES! They used more force, they were more organized and they worked as a unit. That is something we rarely have done. Many legislators have told me that when it gets down to the wire, horse racing always shoots itself in the foot. As my friend Jim Stumph from Arlington said after we passed H.B.1918, when we all come together as a group we are a force to be reckoned with. But after that victory, we unfortunately returned to our old ways.

 

In the early nineties some of the boats were smart enough to hire a former legislator to represent them. A very powerful former legislator who had friends in high places (and still does) and knew how to play the game. He remains a powerful force even after all these years. But even with his considerable influence and with the help of other powerful boat lobbyist, we were able to pass the impact fee bill. I remember visiting with many legislators in an effort to gain their support. In almost every case as I was leaving, a boat lobbyist was coming through the door. We took on the four largest casinos in the State and we beat them. We did it because we were a single minded group. We met frequently and worked on roll calls and strategy. Race track operators, representatives of all horsemen groups all with one goal in mind, and we won! How could we not have learned from that experience that we had finally found the way to beat the casinos? Let’s take this a step further and consider this. The State needs money, a lot of money. Horseracing needs money, a lot of money. The boat operators will tell you that they need money, so let’s just say that’s true for the moment. If we all need the same thing, doesn’t it seem reasonable that there might be a way to give everybody what they want by devising a plan to achieve a common goal?  The casinos want more positions and something done about the effect of the smoking ban on their business. The tracks and horsemen want the tools to compete on an equal level with the casinos and with other tracks in surrounding States that have electronic gaming or a permanent impact fee. The legislators want enough money to balance the budget and of course take care of the “special needs” of people in their districts. The Mayor wants more money to run his City, the Olympics, and eventually a casino. So how do all these groups get what they want? Well that remains to be seen. What we do know is that what we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked.

Remember the example of what happened when the horse industry stood together as one? What if it was taken to the next level, with the horse and casino industries doing the same? Just imagine the power of such an alliance. What if a well thought plan was agreed on by the two. A plan that would allow both to prosper and co-exist. Could a force such as this be ignored by the law makers? The money that could be offered to the State would surely cure their ills. And new gaming wouldn’t have to be invented, it’s already in place. Of course this would have to start at a very high level involving top people of each group to sign off on the concept. But as of now none of the groups mentioned are where they want to be. So isn’t it time to take a different approach?

 

I know by now some of you are gasping for air from laughing so hard. But let’s just consider what took place at the I.R.B. meeting in July. Basically the meeting could be summed up by saying that two of the tracks ask for and received permission to vacate racing dates and the rest of the meeting featured lawyers from other tracks fighting with lawyers from the board about how to split up money that we don’t even have yet. So, does anybody still think its working? I mean the way we do things in our industry.

 

I suppose what I am proposing is just a pipedream. I’m sure that many of you (especially leaders in the business) can tell me why none of this would work. But I just hate the thought of sitting around one day and talking about the days when Illinois used to have horse racing.

 

So what does the future hold for horse racing? Advance Deposit Wagering, the Impact Fee money, the 10^th license, or maybe slots at tracks? How will we as an industry handle these possibilities as they come along? Are the track operators and horsemen’s groups having meetings right now looking for new ways of accomplishing these goals? Are we looking for new ways of getting along or will it still be every group for itself. If it’s the latter, all I can say is “how’s that worked so far?

Illinois board faces $2 million shortfall

By Marcus Hersh

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Illinois Racing Board is facing a financial crisis that could have serious negative consequences in the coming months.

The IRB, charged with regulating racing and maximizing state revenue from it, began its 2010 fiscal year July 1 facing a budget deficit of some $2.1 million, according to executive director Marc Laino. The IRB already has cut back on staffing, and could take more radical action absent some kind of financial relief.

"It's a serious crisis, one we've never faced in racing operations," said Laino. "It's at a point where the industry is no longer self-sufficient."

The IRB does not derive its funding from the general state budget. Its operating expenses are drawn from the state's horse racing fund, which receives money from parimutuel taxes on bets made in Illinois. Handle has decreased so much here the last two years that the IRB finds itself in a perilous financial position. Laino said that overall in-state handle was down 10 percent in 2007-08 from the previous year, and is trending the same way for 2008-09. That 20 percent decline comes after declines of 3 to 5 percent the previous five years; current handle levels are roughly the same as in 1975, Laino said.

Laino said the IRB budget would become clearer by the end of July. An advance-deposit wagering bill has passed the Illinois legislature, and if signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn, could generate $800,000 in parimutuel taxes. The IRB also is in the midst of labor arbitration that could reduce payroll obligations.

Still, Laino said a major deficit could lead to deleterious consequences. Minor race meets at fairs could be canceled, and IRB staff could be laid off. If the IRB can only afford to operate on a limited basis, it could curtail the number of racing dates awarded in 2010. And track operators might be asked to shoulder regulatory costs in order to maintain the status quo.

"Some of these regulatory functions might have to be shifted to the racetracks," said Laino.

If the state is asking for help paying for regulatory operations, Arlington president Roy Arnold wants more information.

"What I don't think anybody should be asked to do is write a blank check," said Arnold. "I think the board needs to give the tracks some idea of their budget. What are fixed costs? What are administrative costs?"

Arnold said he also hopes for clarification of the IRB's status before 2010 dates applications are filed this summer.

"It's difficult to think of next year without knowing the range of solutions the board may be contemplating," he said.

 

Illinois considering plan to pair horses with inmates

By Jim Suhr
Associated Press

COLLINSVILLE -- Pete Luce was a bundle of nerves the first time he stood next to a towering former racehorse, knowing he could be seriously injured or killed with one kick. | Photo gallery

Months later, Luce moves easily among the one-ton animals at Virginia’s James River Correctional Center as part of a program that allows inmates to care for retired racehorses. And he hopes to parlay newfound skills into a job at a racetrack after he is released from prison, where he is finishing a 23-month term for drug possession.

“I go out in the pasture and I just call my horse’s name, and he’ll come right up to me,” Luce, 35, said during a recent telephone interview.

Now Illinois officials are considering a similar program to help rehabilitate prisoners, build their confidence and, perhaps, teach them a marketable skill.

State Rep. Ron Stephens, a Greenville Republican, has introduced a House resolution encouraging the state Department of Corrections to adopt a Thoroughbred horse groomer training program. One of the potential sites, the Vandalia Correctional Center, is in his district and an hour’s drive from Collinsville’s Fairmount Park Racetrack.

“There’s something about an animal, particularly a horse, that gives these guys a chance, maybe for the first time in their life, to have empathy,” Stephens said.

Giving second chances

Derek Schnapp, a spokesman for Illinois’ Department of Corrections, said the agency is studying the matter and is “excited about the possibilities that this program could bring.”

Proponents say such programs, already operating in several states, give animals and inmates alike second chances.

The horses, many facing possible slaughter at an out-of-country rendering plant if they aren’t retired to breed, are carefully tended and sometimes rehabilitated until an adoptive home is found. Inmates who volunteer for the program learn marketable job skills they can use once they’re freed.

Across the country, “there’s no limit to the number of correctional facilities with land,” said Diana Pikulski, executive director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a 27-year-old equine-rescue group eager to expand the programs. And “we’re not running out of inmates to teach or racehorses to offer.”

Pikulski’s group has made great strides connecting horses with inmates since it began its first “Second Chances” farm 25 years ago at New York’s Wallkill Correctional Facility. Similar programs have since expanded to Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, Indiana, Virginia and, as of earlier this month, Maryland.

Massachusetts is considering joining, and if Lanny Brooks has his way, Illinois won’t be far behind.

Brooks, a 62-year-old horse trainer and owner who heads the Illinois Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, is trying to find good homes for five thoroughbreds that once made their living at Fairmount Park, outside St. Louis. He says Vandalia, just east on Interstate 70, is a logical choice.

The prison has about 1,500 inmates and more than 1,300 acres of former dairy farm, complete with barns and fences that could accommodate horses with only modest alterations.

“The public thinks we just race these horses, use them up and then they go down to La-La Land,” said Brooks. “We’re gonna make it known to the public as much as we can and as often as we can that we continue to take care of these racehorses that ran so well for us and made us money during their career.”

Brooks said there’d be little or no cost to the state, which already is grappling with a budget deficit that has ballooned to at least $11.6 billion. He said his nonprofit Racehorse Alternative Choice Environment program would pay for hay, feed, veterinary care and other essentials.

‘Good for society’

Consulting with Pikulski’s group, Brooks said, an equine expert would teach an employee at the Vandalia prison “everything there is to know about a horse from the ground up.” That knowledge then would be imparted upon inmates who volunteer for the program.

“It’s good for society, good for the horses, good for the inmates and good for the state. It’s great PR,” Brooks said.

Similar programs have operated elsewhere for years.

At some prisons in Kansas and Colorado, for example, inmates in a program involving the Bureau of Land Management have worked with hundreds of horses that once roamed free in the West, tending to them before they are adopted out. They do everything from cleaning stalls and trimming hooves, and some can even learn to become trainers.

Colorado’s corrections department is recruiting more inmates to saddle-train the horses. Its College Horse Training Management Program allows inmates to waive parole and earn college credit by training horses for six months.

Brian Hardin, who supervises the program for the Colorado Department of Corrections said recidivism rate for prisoners-turned-horse trainers is half the national rate of 68 percent.

“The animals take the place of the family unit while they’re locked up,” Hardin has said of his inmates.

At Virginia’s James River lockup, warden Layton Lester considers the program an unbridled “change agent,” forcing an inmate once preoccupied with himself to understand “there is another life that depends on him.”

“There’s a lot of personal growth and cognitive growth because of that,” Lester said. “That’s probably the most important part.”

Luce, who is expected to be released Monday, said he hopes to continue working with horses.

“I’ve always loved animals, but when I first got down there I was pretty intimidated ... but I’ve learned a lot of technique,” he said. “They’re really cool animals.”

 

 The Score- 87,600 to 24

 

Twenty four hours is the time it took for the Illinois General Assembly to pass, and the Governor to sign a 9 billion dollar mini-capitol bill. The only problem is that they don’t have 9 billion dollars. Actually the State is some 12 billion dollars in debt.

 

87,600 hours is the amount of time since the agreement was made and the law was changed allowing the boats to go dockside and giving us 15% of the 10^th license. Since then the casinos have made billions of extra dollars and horseracing has continued to decline. We once again went to Springfield this year lobbying for a gaming bill, but as of now it’s not even being talked about as an option. Speaker Madigan says that because of the state of the economy, gaming is worth less than before, maybe so but giving slots to tracks and extra positions to the boats would still provide about a billion dollars to the state. But rather than except the new revenue they pass a bill that will cost billions with no money to pay for it. Instead of passing a bill that will help our industry survive and bring new money to the state, the Governor wants to raise taxes. RAISE TAXES at a time when a lot of people are barely making it. People have lost their homes, unemployment is almost 10% and the state is behind in payments to the pension fund, pharmacies, nursing homes, doctors, Medicaid and others. Yet in the new feel good spirit between the Governor and the Leaders they pass a very costly bill with no funding. It really boggles the mind.

 

So here we sit in limbo just hoping that the impact fee money will come to us soon. If it doesn’t and no legislation is passed, it will be horseracing will continue to decline while the boats continue to make billions. It seems that we just can’t get the message across to the legislators that horseracing is a labor intensive business and that many jobs are created in the Illinois agricultural area while the profit from the casinos goes to out of State stockholders. Yet while on the stump the legislators always say the most important thing is jobs jobs jobs. I think it’s time that they do what they promise when they are elected.

 

Our 2009 meet started on April 7^th. and we continue to have great crowds. There is no doubt that the interest is there, we just need more purse money to improve our quality of racing and extend our racing days.

 

Our new R.A.C.E. program is up and running and we have already transitioned several horses. We are working on a new venture that will be a landmark event if it all comes together. I’ll hopefully be able to report on it by next month.

 

As far as Springfield, we will continue to lobby for legislation that will help us all survive. Still in play is Advance Deposit Wagering and if lighting strikes maybe a gaming bill. Whatever happens, it won’t take place until the middle of May. Either way our best shot for now is getting the impact fee. That answer should come by May or June.

 

 

THIS AIN’T YOUR GRAND-DADDY’S GAME ANYMORE!

 

The way to have success with a horse hasn’t changed in 50 years. You take a horse with some ability, a good trainer and groom, and you’re likely to make some money. They still get rubbed the same way, good trainers put them in a spot where they belong and hopefully the owner has enough confidence to let the trainer do his job. However, that’s about the about the only thing that’s the same as before.

 

The track surfaces are different, medication control gets more stringent all the time as well as restrictions on shoes.

Back in the day, horseracing was the only game in town for gamblers and they had to come to the track to gamble. We’ve all seen and some remember when the tracks were packed with patrons, some even dressed in suits packing the apron of tracks all over the country. Then came the competition. Riverboat casinos, full card simulcasting, A.D.W. companies (operating illegally) and O.T.B’s all have contributed to the decline of on track handle and attendance. Of course the horsemen get the biggest share of purse revenue from on track live handle. Then to top it all off, Illinois has the distinction of being the only racing state with something called “recapture”. When added up, all of these things have the future of Illinois racing in peril.

 

Another thing that will begin this year is the zero tolerance policy at many tracks, including Fairmount and Arlington as well as many other major tracks in the country, and the list is growing daily. This in particular has been hard for some of the horsemen to accept, especially some of the veterans. But with the high profile races showing horses breaking down on national television such as Barbaro, Eight Belles and the ones in the Breeders Cup a few years ago, as well as the H.B.O. special showing horses getting butchered, the public image of our sport has been seriously damaged.  THIS MUST BE CORRECTED!

 

At Fairmount we have been pro-active in our approach by forming the R.A.C.E. program. We are giving the owner an alternative choice in what to do with an injured horse that can no longer run. Our non-profit organization will take ownership of the horse and send him (with a donation) to an approved rescue center where the horse will be rehabilitated and then placed in a new home.

 

Change is always hard to accept, but accept it we must. The game is so different in so many ways and future success will be enjoyed by the ones who don’t fight the changes, but learn how to succeed in our new world.

 

The most important thing we all must do is to understand that changing our public image must be our top priority. Of course getting meaningful legislation passed has to become reality and has to happen very soon. But taking advantage of the many changes rather than fighting them is something we all must do. Instead of complaining about the zero tolerance policy, I think it’s a golden opportunity for a P.R. bonanza.

 

I’m sure I haven’t changed anybody’s mind on anything, but I hope at least I’ve given you something to think about.