In response to track operator 1/ST Racing’s plans to separate Thoroughbred racing from its Gulfstream Park casino, owner Carlo Vaccarezza formed a horsemen’s club; he is not happy with the state of racing in Florida and its future prospects, and he plans to have the organization legitimately represent horsemen in the area, replacing the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. Vaccarezza also stated that he will announce an executive director and a board of directors early next week so that the club can replace the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.
On January 30,
the South Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, as this organization is known, launched its website and requested that its members “act as your exclusive and exclusive representative to negotiate and execute, or refuse to execute, any agreements with the Thoroughbred racetracks in the State of Florida concerning the racing of Thoroughbred horses.”
The new group may or may not be able to maintain that name.
In order to become an associate of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the National HBPA would need to meet several requirements, according to Eric Hamelback, CEO of the organization. To represent them in agreements with tracks, they would also need to show that it represents the great majority of the thousands of riders in the region. According to Hamelback, Vaccarezza and the National HBPA have a similar interest in the need for continuous racing in South Florida, and “I’ve tried to help him. ”
Both groups aim to counteract decoupling, which has contributed to the downfall of the Standardbred and Greyhound racing businesses in Florida. Alternatively, those operators might focus on running casinos. Hamelback stated that lobbyists from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and the Tampa Bay HBPA would be present at a subcommittee meeting so as to discuss decoupling on February 5 in Tallahassee, the state capital. Vaccarezza said Thursday that the loss of Thoroughbred racing in Florida will create a “huge void” that will be felt throughout the country. The FTHA’s initial decoupling strategy and the contradictory assertions made by what he called 1/ST Racing management infuriated Vaccarezza, a former trainer and prosperous restaurant.
In response to Keith Brackpool’s threat-of-closure statements on behalf of 1/ST Racing,
the FTHA board announced on January 24 that it will “reassess” its agreement with 1/ST Racing, even though the FTHA had previously voted in favor of the decoupling plan. The FTHA also said that it will closely monitor any legislation or other actions that could jeopardize long-term racing in Florida and conduct a thorough examination of all options for maintaining racing in South Florida. Vaccarezza, 73, believes the new organization can better represent horsemen when engaging with 1/ST Racing, saying he simply wants to be a member to support the sport for younger people, including his trainer son Nick, and does not want a leadership role in the new horsemen’s organization.