HBPA Newsletter: Triple Crown Creates Industry-Wide Thrills

From the National HBPA / Jennie Rees:

National HBPA Newsletter
May 2025

As we head into the heart of racing season, the Triple Crown series has once again delivered excitement and optimism for the future of our sport. The 150th Kentucky Derby was a historic milestone—not only for Sovereignty’s thrilling finish but also for setting new wagering records, with over $349 million bet on Derby Day. Additionally, the event drew a record-breaking television audience of more than 17.7 million viewers, reaffirming the nation’s enduring passion for Thoroughbred racing. NBC reports that the 2025 Kentucky Derby was the most-watched Saturday program since the NFL Wild Card Playoffs in January 2024.

Despite unseasonably wet weather, the Preakness Stakes added another exhilarating chapter, with Journalism powering through the slop to claim victory in a commanding performance. With summer racing just ahead, there’s a renewed sense of momentum and optimism across the industry—an exciting season awaits fans, horsemen, and communities alike.

Churchill Downs has threatened to halt horse racing at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans for the 2025–26 season due to a recent Louisiana Supreme Court ruling that halted historical horse racing (HHR) machines. CDI claims this decision makes racing financially unviable at Fair Grounds and its 13 associated off-track betting locations, as HHR machines previously accounted for 46% of annual revenue and 74% of after-tax profits in Louisiana.

At an emergency Louisiana Racing Commission meeting, CDI attorney Ozair Shariff stated that the company would withdraw unless the state legislature provides a solution to the court ruling, which declared HHR a new form of gaming requiring voter approval in each parish. A relatively simple fix would be to hold a referendum allowing parishes to vote. The Louisiana HBPA has been actively working on this issue.

Former Fair Grounds owner Louis Roussel III accused CDI of pressuring the state and urged the commission to prioritize local horsemen and citizens. In response to the ruling, state legislators are considering expanding video poker, with a House bill proposing to allocate the first $22 million in tax revenue from the expansion to increase purses at Louisiana’s four horse racing tracks. Click here to read more.

This month, I was a guest on At The Races with Steve Byk, where we discussed recent developments in Florida, where efforts to oppose decoupling continue to intensify. With the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA and the Florida HBPA re-engaged as affiliates, collaboration with local stakeholders, including OBS, FTBOA, and a unified coalition has strengthened the fight. We discussed the importance of coordinated lobbying, noting the strategic alignment with the same firm representing both the HBPA and TRI.

While there was a small procedural victory, which I described as a “first down” rather than a touchdown, but significant work remains ahead. I voiced deep frustration and emotional disappointment over the Florida House committee’s handling of testimony, citing a lack of respect for horsemen and racing advocates who passionately opposed the bill. Despite overwhelming public opposition, the committee advanced the measure with minimal acknowledgment, attaching it to unrelated legislation affecting veterans’ affairs.

While the moment was disheartening, the National HBPA reaffirmed its commitment to push forward, recognizing the issue’s potential to set a national precedent. The National HBPA and its partners remain united in fighting for the future of horse racing.

On May 15th, following the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, Rep. Clay Higgins (LA-03), Rep. Don Davis (NC-01), and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Racehorse Health and Safety Act (RHSA), a bipartisan, bicameral effort to provide a constitutional solution for safety regulation in the horse racing industry, another effort to repeal HISA.

The RHSA would authorize Congress to establish an interstate compact to develop nationwide rules governing scientific medication control and racetrack safety for horse racing. The RHSA would replace the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (HISA), which has been found unconstitutional (twice) by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and now awaits a decision on whether the Supreme Court will hear the case.

Meanwhile, the House has passed a sweeping 1,116-page tax bill that could significantly benefit the horse racing industry. The legislation includes a provision to increase bonus depreciation—the amount horse owners can deduct from the cost of a racehorse—from the current 40% to 100% for the next five years. If the Senate agrees and makes it permanent, this would mark a return to the full deduction model first introduced under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

To qualify, horses must be used strictly for business purposes—racing, breeding, or training—not for personal or recreational use. Click here to read more.

This month, while working with the Ingram Group, I had another round of Capitol Hill visits, including discussions with the HISA director at the FTC.

Additionally, we reached out to both Senate and House sponsors of the SAFE Act of 2025 to convey the National HBPA’s support for the bill. Following that outreach, Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) team requested that we contact a targeted group of Republican offices to encourage co-sponsorship of the bipartisan legislation.

I was also introduced to the American Business Immigration Coalition and was invited to participate in a news conference at Churchill Downs during Derby week. Their message underscores the importance of advocating for solutions that both secure our border and ensure a stable workforce, offering pathways for law-abiding, long-term immigrants who work and pay taxes.

The push comes on the heels of President Trump expressing his desire to find solutions for farm workers and hotel workers, as well as other industries.

As we move into the next few months, I’ll continue engaging with key members of Congress across the country, asking them to partner with horsemen to advance workforce solutions that strengthen our industry.

As we close out May, there’s much to be encouraged by. We’ve seen important legislative progress in key states, and we remain firmly united in our efforts to protect and advance the interests of horsemen across the country. With two legs of the Triple Crown now safely and successfully in the books—each delivering memorable performances and strong fan engagement—the momentum of the season is undeniable.

We are looking forward to June 10^th and 11^th when we get together in Illinois for the National HBPA Executive Committee meeting, graciously hosted by the Illinois HBPA at Fairmount Park.

With summer on the horizon, we move forward with optimism, determination, and the strength of our growing coalition. The best of the season is yet to come.

Pessin Calls Time On Training Career

Neil Pessin, who trained the late Bob Lothenbach’s Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection) to a victory in the GI Derby City Distaff in its COVID-delayed renewal in 2020, is leaving the training ranks effective immediately. The affable conditioner’s final starter was Finn McSorley (English Channel), who finished eighth in a Keeneland maiden special weight on the grass Apr. 25.

“I’d like to keep training, but financially it’s very tough and I was down to two maiden turf horses, one maiden claimer, and it’s just not financially feasible to keep going,” Pessin said. “I didn’t want to quit, but I really have no choice but to do so. I’ve had excess help the whole time as well. There were promises of horses coming in that never materialized, and I had two horses and five staff, so I was losing money every day and it was just time to pull the plug.”