The largest horsemen's groups in the country said they don't support a call by the Association of Racing Commissioners International for a five-year phase-out of race-day anti-bleeding medications.
Monday, April 18, 2011A lawsuit between Churchill Downs Inc. and a horsemen's group and some individuals over alleged antitrust violations has been settled between the parties.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010Drew Couto, who helped form the Thoroughbred Owners of California in 1993 and served for the past five years as president, has decided to step down.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and its executive director have been dismissed from the federal antitrust lawsuit brought by Churchill Downs Inc. against multiple horsemen's groups.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009An official with the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group said the organization intends to continue its work into 2009 and beyond, depending on the needs of its members.
Monday, January 05, 2009
While a signal deal has been struck between Churchill Downs Inc. and Kentucky horsemen for the Churchill Downs spring meet, still unresolved are claims and counter-claims in federal antitrust lawsuit featuring many of the principal parties.
Friday, January 02, 2009
The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association said Dec. 22 it has reached agreements on advance deposit wagering contracts with Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park.
Monday, December 22, 2008With a little more than two weeks remaining before the scheduled shutdown of the barn area at Beulah Park, management and horsemen still have no deal to continue live racing in January. But developments on a national level could quickly turn things around.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
An impasse in California over fee rates for interstate advance deposit wagering that has had a negative impact on Hollywood Park's fall meet ended Nov. 21 with the announcement that one-year deals with the four licensed providers in the state have been reached.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Winter racing at Beulah Park was plowed under and the spring/summer meet at River Downs went up in flames Nov. 21 when the Ohio State Racing Commission awarded 2009 dates that represent a loss of more than 160 days of Thoroughbred racing at the two tracks.
Friday, November 21, 2008One old betting axiom -- "shut out at the window" -- has taken on a whole new meaning when paired with a relatively new one in the racing industry lexicon: "signal wars."
Wednesday, November 05, 2008About 1,000 Thoroughbreds could be forced to leave the grounds of Beulah Park by the end of this year if the racetrack and horsemen's association don't have a deal for advance deposit wagering revenue in place by Nov. 21, the day the Ohio State Racing Commission will award racing dates for 2009.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008Out-of-state account wagering bettors remained locked out of Hollywood Park races as a contract dispute between the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the four advance deposit wagering companies showed no sign of resolution Oct. 30, the second day of the fall meet.
Thursday, October 30, 2008The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which represents owners and trainers at Arlington Park and Hawthorne Race Course, and the Oregon Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, comprised of horsemen competing at Portland Meadows, have voted to join the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group.
Monday, October 13, 2008
California horsemen and Hollywood Park reached a tentative agreement Oct. 10 that allows the track to operate its 40-day autumn race meet, but a stalemate over host fees to be paid by account wagering companies for interstate bets remains unresolved.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Barring fruitful negotiations -- and that scenario currently doesn't appear possible -- it could be months before decisions on Thoroughbred racing dates in Ohio are made.
Friday, October 03, 2008
While signal distribution at racetracks continues to be a hot topic in the horse racing industry, that doesn't appear to be the case at Hawthorne Race Course, which opens its meet Sept. 26.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008The Portland Meadows meet, which looked for a time like it might be canceled, is scheduled to kick off Oct. 5, despite ongoing issues in Oregon.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Calder Race Course has announced another major cut in purses and the cancellation of eight $100,000 stakes races. The track, in a release, said it was trimming overnight purses by 17% effective Sept. 18.
Friday, September 12, 2008Michael Konik, author of The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions, will address the subject of programmed wagering and offshore booking Sept. 29, first day of the International Simulcast Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Friday, September 12, 2008Officials with two Ohio racetracks indicated they hope to offer Thoroughbred meets in 2009 and could be close to a deal with local horsemen on revenue from advance deposit wagering.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Magna Entertainment Corp., in a statement issued the evening of Aug. 28, acknowledged it is having discussions with the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group on what company chairman Frank Stronach called "a new framework" for pari-mutuel economics.
Friday, August 29, 2008Calder Race Course got state permission to run four days a week instead of five for an 11-week period beginning Sept. 1. The South Florida track has lost horses due to reduced purses that were caused by a lingering dispute over simulcast signal distribution.
Thursday, August 28, 2008The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has formally filed a counterclaim in the federal antitrust lawsuit brought by Churchill Downs Inc. and affiliates, and has joined with other defendants asking for their dismissal from the case.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008Betfair, the Great Britain-based online betting exchange, continues to negotiate with officials in the United States and is inching closer to a deal by which it would compensate horsemen for use of their product.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group, which advocates a new economic model for pari-mutuel wagering and has been engaged in high-profile battles in the racing industry, isn't going away anytime soon, its president said July 18.
Friday, July 18, 2008
A fan-friendly experiment to share racetracks among California's advance deposit wagering companies has ended with the start of the Del Mar meet July 16.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
With the looming expiration of an experiment to share racetracks among account wagering companies in California, representatives continue to meet in hopes of an agreement in time for the start of the Del Mar summer meet July 16.
Friday, July 11, 2008
At least two racetrack operators aren't pleased with recent developments concerning advance deposit wagering revenue, and one indicated closure of his track isn't out of the question should the conflict continue.
Thursday, July 10, 2008The Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group is calling for a meeting with the Thoroughbred Racing Associations to discuss advance deposit wagering revenue given ongoing conflict between horsemen, racetracks, and ADW providers over equitable revenue splits.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
The owner of Ellis Park said he is willing to work with horsemen on revenue-sharing plans for wagering signals, but hasn't ruled out eventually closing the Kentucky track if an equitable long-term agreement isn't reached.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008The Thoroughbred Owners of California board of directors has unanimously endorsed the negotiating model created by the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group, and has authorized the THG to represent the TOC in future simulcast negotiations, including in advance deposit wagering negotiations.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Some bettors are frustrated with the current dispute between horsemen groups, racetracks, and advance deposit wagering companies over revenue sharing. They feel they've been neglected in the process, and threaten to take their wagering dollars elsewhere.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Calder Race Course and all other Florida tracks are facing the prospect of not receiving the signal for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and its Pimlico Race Course undercard.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Officials with Magna Entertainment Corp. and the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group have met twice recently to discuss the ongoing conflict over revenue splits for advance deposit wagering, though the sides aren't close to striking a deal.
Monday, May 12, 2008
A Churchill Downs Inc. official said May 7 purses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., could be cut the week of May 11, while Calder Race Course in South Florida could face another reduction in purses.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Declines in on-track wagering, a dispute with the New York Racing Association over signal fees, and horsemen's refusal to allow six major advance deposit wagering outlets to take its signal has led River Downs to cut purses 15%-18% effective May 8.
Friday, May 02, 2008Because of the dispute over simulcast fees and revenue, Calder Race Course will not offer wagering on the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), as well as all other races on the two programs.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Churchill Downs Inc. has invested $100 million in advance deposit wagering for a reason: The company believes it's the major growth channel for pari-mutuel wagering, as well as a means to drive traffic to the racetrack, CDI president and chief executive officer Bob Evans said.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Churchill Downs Inc. filed a lawsuit April 24 asking a federal court to dissolve the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group. In a suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, CDI, CDI-owned Calder Race Course, and Churchill Downs Technology Initiatives Co. also are seeking an injunction to prevent the THG and the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association from "agreeing on uniform terms for the sale of signals, boycotting racetracks and ADW operators that do not comply with their demands."
Thursday, April 24, 2008Horsemen at odds with TrackNet Media Group over advance deposit wagering revenue sharing plans are suggesting a plan that would allow all ADWs to carry programs of both the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Horsemen at odds with TrackNet Media Group over advance deposit wagering revenue sharing plans are proposing an arrangement that would allow all ADWs to carry programs of both the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Monday, April 21, 2008
Consider this chilling scenario: Customers of several advance deposit wagering companies - and possibly some large off-shore rebate shops - won't be able to place wagers on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) through those entities.
Friday, April 18, 2008The Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group claims it wants advance deposit wagering entities to pay a fairer share into purse coffers, but those on the other side of the negotiating table claim the math simply doesn't add up.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has given the new national Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group authority to negotiate terms with advance deposit wagering companies for betting on races at South Florida Thoroughbred racetracks. Also, Florida horsemen want an agreement on slots revenue with Calder before any contracts are signed.
Saturday, April 12, 2008Account wagering companies that take bets on races from Lone Star Park must agree to a new formula that gives an equal share of pari-mutuel revenue to the racetrack, horsemen, and the wagering provider.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
A contentious standoff over Gulfstream Park's racing signal has brought a chilling end to any warm fuzzies felt from the recent broad distribution deals emerging out of California, New Jersey, and New York.
Friday, January 04, 2008The Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario is the latest horsemen's group to join the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group, which was established Dec. 5 to facilitate simulcast activities for horsemen and improve pari-mutuel economics.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Thoroughbred Owners of California and Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have joined the new Thoroughbred Horsemen's Group, launched Dec. 5 to facilitate simulcast activities and improve the economics of the pari-mutuel model.
Friday, December 14, 2007Eight horsemen?s groups from around the United States have joined together to form a coalition designed to improve racing economics, specifically in the area of generating more purse revenue from interstate simulcasts.
Thursday, December 06, 2007