FHBPA / Calder Race Course Meeting Summary Notes Friday, August 16, 2013

Present:  Calder – John Marshall, Mike Anifantis, Dr. Helena Carroll
 
FHBPA – Kent Stirling, Phil Combest, Barry Rose, Larry Bates, Bill White, Gene Stevens, and Kathy Davey.
 
_____________________
 
A 6 month contract has been signed with Finish Line Feed to be the exclusive provider of shavings to Calder barns at a fixed price of  $400/load. Finish Line is also partnering with Calder in manure removal and composting.
 
Because there are fewer horses on site now, there are plenty of manure wagons and the use of the manure pits should be vastly diminished and eventually eliminated.  Since this is still not the case, Calder is planning a “day of instruction” to improve this situation, and they are counting on trainers to help enforce the use of the wagons. A few suggestions were offered by those in attendance of ways the process might be improved.
 
Calder raised approximately $20,000. from individual donations, vendors, and the FHBPA to fund their back-to-school book bag giveaway event held here this past week for children of back side employees of both Calder and Gulfstream.
 
Recertification in NTRA’s Safety and Integrity Alliance is due in September.
 
Discussions continue between Churchill Downs and Stronach Group representatives toward solving head-to-head racing issues between Gulfstream and Calder. John Marshall believes that the impasse is not a big issue and the ball is in “the other court.”
 
Calder’s strategic plan assumes they will run 3/week through June 2014, however there is a plausible scenario that Gulfstream will increase their racing days and Calder will decrease theirs, depending on the talks between the two sides and any contract adjustments that might need to be made with the FHBPA.
 
There are currently 904 horses stabled at Calder.  John Marshall stated that “par level” would be filling barns #1 – 60 (just over 1000 horses).  “Par level” refers to the number of race horses stabled at Calder that would sustain the operation.
 
Calder’s purse levels are still a concern and are being looked at, but John stated that because of the extenuating circumstances, they are in a holding pattern on dropping purses at this time, and “…every race day is a little victory.”