October 1, 2012 By Kent H. Stirling On July 12th, I was invited by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV to testify in front of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for which he is the Chairman. His committee was holding a hearing on “Medication and Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Horse Racing.” This hearing...Read More
October 1, 2012 The Claiming Crown is a joint venture between the National HBPA and TOBA that was actually a product of a conversation between then National HBPA President, Bill Walmsley and TOBA President, Drew Couto, that took place after a Jockey Club Round Table meeting in the mid-nineties. It was thought the races...Read More
Present: Mike Anifantis, Larry Bates, Joe Calascibetta, Phil Combest, Kathy Davey, Dr. Patty Marquis, John Marshall, Larry Pilotti, Richard Root, Barry Rose, Gene Stevens, Kent Stirling Glass Bottles – Glass beverage containers, many of them broken, have been littered around the backside area lately. Besides the fact that littering is “not okay,” this glass...Read More
July 2, 2012 The final hearing on whether the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering allowed “pari-mutuel barrel racing” as a new gambling product in Florida without enabling legislation, regulatory hearings or public input will be extended by two days, scheduled to resume August 22, 2012. Originally scheduled for only three days in April...Read More
May 21, 2012 The Florida HBPA had its annual election on March 15th at which time five Directors were elected to the 15-person Board, to serve three year terms. Incumbent, Teresa Palmer was elected to another term as an owner. New owners elected to the Board were Celia Fawkes and Karla Wolfson. Returning to the...Read More
May 21, 2012 Gulfstream Park recently concluded their most successful race meet ever from a horsemen’s prospective. Overnight purses paid during the 87 day meet just missed hitting the $300,000 per day level with actual total overnights paid at $299,991. Last year during a 79 day meet, average paid overnights were $274,547. Total daily...Read More
May 21, 2012 By Kent H. Stirling The National HBPA Convention held last January in Hollywood Beach, Florida was a great success as those of you who attended already know, and those of you who could not attend in person certainly were able to discern from reading about it in the last issue...Read More
May 21, 2012 Every year as the self-proclaimed Czar of Winter Simulcasting, I track the wagering dollars per race on the five strongest signals that operate during the winter when Gulfstream is racing. I have been performing this exercise that probably no one cares about but me since some media types wrote about the...Read More
February 17, 2012 This is a follow up to our article in the winter edition of the Horsemen’s Journal about “pari-mutuel barrel racing.” Since almost every horse track in Florida owns a Quarter Horse Permit, there is great fear by all breeds of Florida horsemen that their respective track will use their Quarter Horse...Read More
February 17, 2012 So how did that December date swap between Calder and Gulfstream Park work out for horsemen? If you recall, essentially to avert a dates war last year, Calder gave up most of December to Gulfstream Park and in return Calder received most of April from Gulfstream. This period of new dates...Read More
