KY Harness Horsemen's Association

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COMMISSION INFORMATION

The Ky. Racing Commission has advised KHHA that horses will be tested for anabolic steroids begining with the Bluegrass Downs meet. Dr. Mary Scullay advised the KHHA board that while the recomended withdrawal time for anabolic steriods is 60 days, horses that have been on anabolic steriods continously for an extended period of time can result in that horse testing positive even though the horse has not been given such steroids for the past 60 days. Dr. Scullay advises that if you are unsure that you can have the horse tested prior to entering the horse into race. The cost is about $175.00. Dr. Scullay states you can contact her at the Racing Commission (859 246-2040)if you are unsure what is appeoved or any other questions.

The Commission also advises that a rule is now in effect that requires everyone involved with a leased horse must be licensed including the leasor and the leasee.

VIDEO LOTTERY UPDATE

Greg Stumbo's bill (HB158) passed out of committee on February 12th., but instead of the bill being sent to the house floor for a vote the bill was sent to another committee where it is expected to die during the current session. There is some conversation that there maybe a special session called at which time the bill could resurface.

FAIR ENTRIES

There are 178 nominations paid into the 2009 county fair program. There are: 35 2yr. old pacing fillies, 25 2yr. old pacing colts, 25 2yr.old trotting fillies, 18 2yr.old trotting colts, 19 3yr. old pacing fillies, 18 3yr. old pacing colts, 15 3yr. old trotting fillies and 23 3yr. old trotting colts. A sustaining payment of $200 is due April 15th. in order to maintain the eligibilty of each horse.

KHHA MEMEBERSHIP

Renewal of KHHA memberships are due as of March 1, 2009. KHHA paid out over $5000 in 2008 for bike claims and a 3rd. party claim over $8000 was paid. Due to the cost of 3rd. party liability insurance being increased membership dues have been raised for the first time in over 20 years. The cost of membership is now $35.00. There currently is an issue with the Indiana Horsemen's Association and Harness Horsemen's International (the provider of the 3rd. party liability insurance)and because of that issue KHHA may not be able to provide 3rd. party insurance to all Indiana residents. Contact the KHHA office if you have questions.

BLUEGRASS DOWNS

The Bluegrass Downs meet is set to open on April 9th. The grounds will open on March 27th. Billy Perkins is schedued to be the race secretary and the purse account is expected to be equal to or higher than the $207,000,000 spent in 2008. Contact Bluegrass at 270 444 7117 about stalls and qualifers.

THE ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

In recent years the KHHA awards banquet has been held the night before the first fair race of the year at the Red Mile. This year the fair circuit starts at Mayfield and the first fair racing at the Red Mile will not take place until June 14th. Thunder Ridge will be racing at that time which leaves no open date for the banquet to be held at that time. This year the annual banquet will be held in on July 25th. at the Red Mile. This will be the eve of the Mercer County fair at the Red Mile.

ANNUAL KHHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

The annual KHHA board of directors meeting will take place on Tuesday April 14th. at 7P.M. at the Bank Of Lexington at Corporate Square.

VIDEO LOTTERY

Speaker Greg Stumbo gave his presentation on January 21st. to the License and Occupation committee regarding HB158. Stumbo gave a very detailed explanation of his bill and what it could accomplish. Nick Nicholson gave a detailed account of where the Ky. horse racing industry was 4 years ago, where it is today, and where it will be in 3 yrs. Nicholson used the standardbred industry to demonstrate what has happened during the last 20 years and how devastating the racing idustry will be in Ky. without some form of expanded gaming

The License and Occupation Committee will meet again within the next 7 days and is expected to vote yes on video lottery gaming at race tracks only. The bill will then pass out of that committee and go to the house where it will take 60 votes to pass the bill. . Current projections indicate that it will be difficult to obtain the 60 votes and Stumbo has indicated he will not call the bill to the floor for a vote unless he has the votes necessary for the bill to pass. Several representatives have publicly stated they are not receiving any calls in favor ot the bill only calls opposed to the bill. Now is the time for you to call your House Representative and tell him/her you are in favor of House Bill 158. You should have received a letter or E-mail from KEEP that asks that you contact an 800 number in Frankfort where you can leave your message for representatives. I would suggest that if you are unalbe to personally contact your representatvie then to call that number and leave a message. However as most of you know it is easy to ignore a message left. Please make several attempts to contact your area representative because 1 or 2 votes could make the difference in the bill passing in the House. Should your representative make the case that it should be up to the people to decide about expanded gaming, please advise that representative that the bill will contain a local option meaning that the people in the area effected will in fact have an opportunity to have their voice heard. Also, have anyone that you know that lives any in Ky. district to call their repsective representative if they are in favor of this bill.

THE RACING COMMISSION APPROVES RACE DATES FOR 09

Here are the dates for the three harness tracks for 2009. Bluegrass downs will start on April 9th and continue through May 16th with racing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Thunder Ridge will open on Sunday May 24th and continue through July 11th. Originally Thunder Ridge officials only wanted to race a six week schedule because of cost, but KHHA was able to work with Thunder Ridge so as to give horsemen more race opportunities. The schedule is generally Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with a few exceptions. Thunder Ridge officials have agreed to allow horsemen to stay on the grounds until the Red Mile opens for the summer meet.

The Red Mile is currently scheduled to open on August 3rd and continue through September 24th. with racing on Sunday, Monday and Thursday. KHHA is attempting to work out an agreement to where and extra week of racing will be added to the front of the meet.

NEW COMMISSION RULES

The Ky. Horse Racing Commission has banded the use of anabolic steroids. The Ky Horse Racing Commission web site khrc@ky.gov explains the new rule covering anabolic steroids.

The Commission passed the whipping rule whereby a driver shall not take both lines in one hand at any time during the course of a race. Fines and suspensions for first offense could include a ten days spension. Snappers are no longer allowed on whips during any race.

KHHA representatives were present when The new Ky. Racing Commission proposed raising the license fees on owners, trainers, drivers, blacksmiths, and officials. The increase is to help fund the Commission which is currently under funded. The proposed rate increase is $50.00 for thoroughbreds and $25.00 for standardbreds. Commissioner Alan Leavitt explained on KHHA's behalf that any increase in standardbred licensing in Ky. would make Ky. the highest license fee in North America. This would take place in a state where two of the three tracks race for an average of $1200 purses and the total racing season is only six months. Unfortunately the thoroughbred interest on the commission prevailed and a $25.00 increase passed. The fee increase will take effect at the beginning of 2009.

Senator Damon Thayre who KHHA has supported in recent years, plans to introduce a bill in the legislature in January that will take tax revenue paid by the large race tracks (Keeneland and Churchill) and use that money to fund the commission. Commission officials have told KHHA that if that happens this proposal will be withdrawn.

Racing Commission security at the request of Red Mile officials, conducted out of competition testing during the grand circuit meet. Four horses were found to fail the preliminary test for EPO and the split sample has been sent to the New Bolton lab for futher testing. There are currently no commission rules in place in Kentucky for out of competetion testing and should the split samples prove to be positive then the only penalty that could be handed down would be from the Red Mile and that could not be a suspension or fine. The Commission is expected to inact out of competition testing regulations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION 2009

KHHA is now receiving nominations for the 2009 board of directors election. Any member in good standing who wishes to be considered as a candidate for the KHHA board of directors must submit his/her name in writing by Dec 31, 2008. Nominatoins must be sent by registered mail to the KHHA office at 1700 Alexandria Dr. Suite #4 Lexington, Ky. 40504. Directors whose terms expire in 2009 are Don Conrad, Pat Housh, Tom Shehan, Lee Eferestein, Jim Powell and Shawn Gannon.

THIRD PARTY INSURANCE

KHHA has received notice of a rate increase on third party liability insurance. The new increase is at a cost of $26.00 per member. KHHA averages at least one claim per year and this year there were two claims that amounted to over $8000.00. This is insurance that horsemen can not afford to be without. As a result the KHHA board is forced for the first time in over 20 years to have an increase in the cost of membership. Begining in 2009 membership in KHHA will increase from $25.00 to $35.00. Bike insurance will remain the same at a maximun of $1000.00 with a $50.00 deductible.

2009 FAIR RACING

KHHA has received information from the Ky. Dept. of Agriculture that the $150,000 grant that is paid to the Ky. Colt Assoication each year will be discontinued because of budget cuts in Frankfort. That grant amounts to nearly 5o% of the annual income that is received by the colt association. Khha is in the process of contacting senators and representatives in attempts to keep the grant from being cut. KHHA representatives met with the Ky. Sires Stakes committeee in an effort to replace the cut funds, but, that committee was unwilling to offer any assistance to fair racing and voted to eliminate the Wildcat series. It seems they are more concerned with selling yearlings than with helping Kentucky's grass roots program since the Sire Stakes program paid out over $3million in 2008.

The Colt Association met on Thursday November 13th and based upon the current financial situation voted to reduce the fair racing from $5000 purses to $4000 purses and any splits would be a result of splitting that $4000 by the number of splits. Finals will be at $7500 for 3 horses and $500 will be added for each horse above 3. There is enough funds in reserve to continue the program at this rate for 2 years. Should enough additional funds be found then purses would be set at last year's level.

Nate Sholar stepped down as president of the Ky. Colt assoication citing health issues. Bill Napier stated he would take the position only if no other person was interested and was elected by default.

The tenative 2009 fair schedule is as follows: Mayfield May 26 and 27, LaCenter June 6, Woodford County at the Red Mile June 14, Paducah June 22 and 23, Marion County June 30 and July 1, Washington County July 11, Thunder Ridge (tenative fair) July 18, Mercer County at the Red Mile July 26 and the Fair finals at the Red Mile on August 2nd. KHHA has asked that there is no sire stakes scheduled too close the fair finals. Sturgis did not apply for a fair in 2009. The Woodford, Mercer, and Washington fairs are now all three funded and operated by KHHA.

THE RED MILE ELIMINATES WINTER TRAINING

The Red Mile informed horsemen on October 4th. (last day of Grand Circuit racing) that there will no longer be winter training offered at the Red Mile. KHHA met with Red Mile officials on several occasions in an attempt to get them to reconsidere, but were unsuccessful. The argument made was that winter training cost $200,000 to which the 4 owners had to write a check for and not all owners were willing to do so. Unfortunatley several thousand dollars has been owed the Red Mile for more than a year for stall rent and that did not help the situation.