Monthly News & Updates

May, 2023

Gov. DeSantis Signs Tax Package Including $27.5 Million in Support of Florida Thoroughbred Industry

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law House Bill 7063, the 2023-24 tax package that includes vital provisions for Florida’s Thoroughbred industry. This bill provides $27.5 million to be reserved for purses, racing awards and operations at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs each year for the next two years. In addition, the two tracks will be provided tax credits to offset the cost of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety (HISA) program in Florida; the HISA assessment for Florida for 2023 is $5.9 million.

This monumental legislation is not possible without the work of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Speaker of the House Paul Renner, Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Senator Blaise Ingoglia, Chairman of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, Senator Jason Pizzo, representing Broward County, and the tireless efforts of State Representative Lawrence McClure, Chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, and State Representative Stan McClain, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

“Our organization represents more than 6,000 owners and trainers who do business in the State of Florida,” Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association President Joe Orseno said. “We worked hard in Tallahassee this Session to ensure the collective voice of our membership was heard. On behalf of our horsemen and women, we thank Governor DeSantis, Senate President Passidomo, Speaker Paul Renner, and the legislators who championed this measure on our behalf.

“We also thank 1/ST RACING President of Racing and Business Development Stephen Screnci and the team at Gulfstream Park for being at the forefront of this endeavor,” Orseno added. “Our collaboration with 1/ST RACING in the state’s Capitol this year was truly momentous.”

According to a study by the American Horse Council, Florida’s Thoroughbred industry has a $2.7 billion economic impact and creates more than 23,000 jobs in the state. From the racetracks to the training centers to the breeding farms to the horse retirement facilities, there are nearly 100,000 Thoroughbreds stabled across every county in Florida.

The FTHA, His Place Ministries and 1/ST RACING hosted a Health and Wellness Fair for the Gulfstream Park Backstretch Community on May 16. More than 125 backstretch workers and their families attended, which was coordinated through the United Way.

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Letter from FTHA President Joe Orseno

There are so many challenges in horse racing and good news can be hard to come by, but it is truly exciting to be able to kick off my second year as president of the FTHA with the announcement of a $27.5 million boost for the Thoroughbred industry in Florida. We are grateful for the support we have received from Gov. DeSantis and our representatives. The FTHA Board and our lobbyist, Jeff Johnston, put in a lot of hours during Florida’s legislative session to help get this bill passed, our team has been working hard on behalf of our members, and we are thrilled that our commitment to the industry has been rewarded.

The provision in Florida’s tax package that earmarks funding for our racing and breeding programs would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Stephen Screnci and the team from 1/ST RACING. Our relationship with Gulfstream Park management is more productive now than at any time in recent memory. We will now work with the Gulfstream Racing Office to determine how best to spend the $7.5 million in funding from the bill that must be used exclusively for purse money at Gulfstream Park. We will also develop a plan for the additional $2 million we will have for Florida-bred incentives. We want to be sure that this money helps to sustain the owners and trainers who race year-round at Gulfstream Park. We will provide our members with details of the purse and incentive plan as soon as they are finalized.

There are always issues to be addressed, and we know the next few months will have their difficulties as we negotiate the changes under the new Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program. We will endeavor to provide our trainers with the resources necessary to ensure they are in compliance with the new rules, and to advocate on their behalf when there are problems. We are also researching the immigration laws recently enacted in Florida and their impact on racing.

As always, we welcome all of our owners and trainers to stop by the FTHA trailer, which is located at the back of the parking lot across from the Racing Office, or give us a call at (954) 457-3516. Our Executive Director Andy Belfiore and her team, Business Manager Debbie Filippi, Special Events Coordinator Herb Oster and Executive Assistant Kimberly Martinez, are here to listen to your suggestions, answer your questions, and assist in any way possible.

Sincerely,

FTHA President Joe Orseno

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