On Tuesday, we found out that Belinda Stronach and her team of absolute misfits had somehow convinced a legislator to file a bill in Florida to allow Gulfstream Park to separate its’ “Gaming License” from its’ “Racing License.”

If this legislation were — somehow and inexplicably — to pass?

It could very easily mean absolute disaster for the Thoroughbred industry in the Sunshine State, which by its’ very nickname should shed light on this entire process — up to this very date and on the go-forward.

After all, this legislative proposal seems to have the potential to not only undermine the purse structure, but gut it entirely.

After all, this legislative proposal seems to give Gulfstream Park and its’ officials the unilateral ability to cut, slice and dump race dates at its’ own discretion. It has the ability to gut racing in South Florida entirely.

After all, this legislative proposal has the potential to change Thoroughbred racing in Florida forever, and in these United States in a very negative and dramatic way, as well. Gut it, to be honest. Forever.

I’ve been told that transparency can set you free.

So, why doesn’t Belinda and Gulfstream give it a try.

So, why doesn’t the Florida General Assembly give it a shot.

Maybe you can consider a few things. And since we spent 30 years of our life lobbying legislation, including major acts that impact the horse industry, here are a few suggestions. Like:

One…

We should see, hear and feel the reasons why Gulfstream Park owners and officials want to do this? Truly. Give us your list. Got to have some “Talking Points,” right? They have to be good. You convinced your local horse people to endorse.

We have an opinion, but it has nothing to do with preserving live racing. Most likely, it has everything to do with building out the current Gulfstream Park location into a retail marketplace, and, most of all, with preserving Belinda’s lifestyle and bankroll with a cash injection that does not require her to spend money putting on live racing.

But that’s just our opinion. We could be wrong.

Two…

We should see, hear and feel the solutions and options on how Gulfstream Park and its’ officials propose to continue to conduct live racing in South Florida, either at its’ present location, or, perhaps, some other property that it currently owns or plans to purchase and occupy. And, guarantee it in writing.

We have an opinion, but it has nothing to do with improving racing at Gulfstream Park or any other place. Most likely, it has everything to do with simply changing the rules of the game so that Belinda and her merry people can side pocket and siphon more money to the detriment of Thoroughbred racing and breeding.

But, we may be wrong.

Just wondering, though, are their architectural drawings in place to either improve the current Gulfstream Park or another venue to host live racing? If so, can we see them, please? And, can you guarantee a final construction date so that we can have a seamless transition of all live race dates? We really would like to see a contract that guarantees the future, if you don’t mind.

Third…

We should see, hear, and feel how Gulfstream Park “convinced” the local trainers to such a degree that they would acquiesce to such an apparent horrible deal and agree to support the legislation that could possibly chop their heads off and the legs of this vitally important racing venue.

We have an opinion, but it has nothing to do with “guarantees” in writing that the purse structure will not falter; that it has nothing to do with “contracts” that secure in perpetuity the number of live race dates and the number of live races that Gulfstream Park officials “guarantee” will be run in both the near or extended future; and that it has nothing to do with the absolute “guarantee” that the barn area will stay as it is today and the racetrack is maintained safely for training horses that will run on the premises.

But, we could be wrong about that. If so, we would be happy to amend.

While we are at it, though, if those “guarantees” are already in place; in writing; and our sincere and reliable, as your words promise, let’s insert those same reliances into the legislative proposal and language, too. Why not? If you are not intending to quit running, then let’s ask the General Assembly to insist on it.

That shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Fourth…

We should see, hear, and feel how the local horsemen agreed to support such an apparent crazy proposition? How? Why? Does it have to do with the fact that the former President of the local horse group now works for Belinda? Does it have to do with a pittance of money to offset the trainers worker’s compensation costs? Are you kidding me? The horse people in this group are willing to potentially give up millions in purse supplements for a ham sandwich?

We have an opinion, but it stinks about as badly as this deal looks and tastes on the surface.

But, we could be wrong. If our minds wander off the rails, then show us what you have “promised” these horse trainers who you insist must become practicing attorneys, as well. OK? Any attorneys on the backside?

Fifth…

Why would anyone in their right mind fall for the “trust me” Belinda and the Gulfstream Park officials?

These are the same people who helped convince the members of the Florida General Assembly to deregulate the allocation of live racing dates so that it could run every day of the year for one simple reason — to put the grand Hialeah and the very serviceable Calder racetracks out of business. They knew going in that the other racetracks could not compete on location or recruit enough horses to have a meet when forced to run head-to-head on dates.

The fates of Hialeah and Calder were sealed when Gulfstream steam-rolled that legislation, once upon a time.

These are the same people who ran Pimlico into the ground and then turned it over to the state of Maryland when they didn’t want it any more and the track was so dilapidated that the second jewel of the Triple Crown is now akin to a fake diamond.

These are the same people who just closed Northern California’s best racetrack — Golden Gate — so that it could milk the horse people into shipping the majority of its’ horse population to Southern California to supplement Stronach’s dying operation at Santa Anita.

These are the same people who started a simulcasting syndicate — that tied up so many of the country’s racing signals — that it nearly bleached some of the nation’s smaller racetracks right out of existence.

In order to receive the “Monarch” signals — which at one time included Santa Anita, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, Laurel Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Monmouth Park, Rosecroft Raceway, Meadowlands, X-press Bet and all other Monarch-represented tracks and Monarch-affiliated entities or outlets — then the smaller tracks had to wilt. They had little option than to sell their simulcasting rights to Monarch at under-market percentage rates in order to receive the vast amount of the “popular” and “most wanted” signals from the consortium that the Stronach’s controlled. Of course those signals cost the little tracks much more than they got in return.

Ask the horse people in Arizona how that deal turned out for them.

These are the same people who hired a lobbyist in Kentucky to try and stop Historic Horse Racing from becoming fully legal. Guess they knew then they could not compete with Kentucky if that were to happen. And, for one of the first times ever, they were correct about that fact.

Putrid.

Sound like people you want to do business with, especially on a “trust me” deal?

That’s just our opinion. We may be wrong.

But maybe, just maybe, Belinda and her team can give us an explanation on these things before anyone decides to give in to the “trust me” line of thinking this time around?

Maybe, just maybe, the horse industry deserves a little transparency; a little light; a lot of honesty.

So, this begs the big questions.

Until we have the guarantees in the legislative proposals and binding contracts in place…

Why in hell would the Florida General Assembly agree to pass this heavy-handed legislation that will benefit only one party — Stronach — and potentially destroy an industry that used to be so powerful and viable that it produced horses like Affirmed and stood stallions like Mr. Prospector and Fappiano?

The Florida breeding industry used to be second only to Kentucky.

Now, it is a ghost of what it once was.

Why in hell?

Why in hell would the Florida horsemen sell out their individual and collective owners — who actually pay the bills, mind you — for this deal which apparently doesn’t have any guarantees on either purses or live racing dates.

In exchange for some money to off-set worker’s compensation costs?

Are you kidding me?

Why in hell?

Why in hell would the powers-at-be in this industry agree to host its’ annual Eclipse Awards in conjunction with these people?

Hey peeps…might want to check out the shrimp cocktail.

You might want to see if they pass the smell test.

Because this legislative proposal, sure as hell does not.

I have seen nothing that “guarantees” purses to remain revenue neutral or any contract language that Gulfstream must remain active in live racing — whether at the present location or any other.
Until there are some guarantees — in writing — anyone that would agree to support this proposal is absolutely derelict in their duties as fiduciary parties for their owners of horses. Horse that need a racetrack to run.
Just my opinion.
We may be wrong…
But I don’t think so.
Smell those shrimp.