"I have trainers and owners say to me all the time, 'Governor, I'm sorry but I'm pulled my horses up to West Virginia last weekend and ran in those races up there at that track because the purses were three times as big as they were at Churchill Downs or at Keeneland.'"
In an interview taped last week with TVO, Steve Beshear, the Governor of Kentucky discussed his meeting last week with Premier Kathleen Wynne. Beshear told TVO's Steve Paikin that the two heads of state and province discussed horse racing in their meeting.
"She thinks through issues and obviously she's got the best interests of Ontario at heart. We talked a little bit about horse racing. She indicated that she was trying to find that balance of looking at the whole gaming industry and racing as a whole, and trying to find the right balance that keeps a viable industry going because it is a wonderful industry to have and at the same time, have some revenue to invest in things like education and all of the things she has to do also.
"I think she's going through a process right now and I'm sure she will - with the parliament - try to figure all of that out."
Beshear is facing similar issues in the Bluegrass State, with one of Kentucky's "signature" industries feeling the pinch from neighbouring states with expanded gaming - the likes of which Ontario boasted up until 2012 when the slots-at-racetracks partnership was cancelled.
"I've been trying to get expanded gaming in our state for two reasons. One, I would love to have three-to-five hundred million dollars that casino gaming could bring to Kentucky and invest in our education system and healthcare system and all those things our people need," said Beshear. "Secondly, our racing industry -- in particular -- and breeding industry is competing with other states that are trying to do that same thing and every one of those other states right now subsidize their breeders fund, their purses at the tracks and all that with expanded gaming revenue. I just want us to have a level playing field because I want to continue to be the horse capital of the world."
Governor Beshear stated that the majority of Kentuckians support expanded gaming - to the tune of 80 per cent. Last year, similar numbers of Ontarians polled were also in favour of maintaining the slots-at-racetracks program but those same Ontarians were not as keen on casino expansion.
"About 80 per cent of the people in Kentucky say that they want to vote on it, put it on the ballot and the polls show that it will pass. But as a lot of people know, it's one thing for the people to want something...it's another thing for the Legislature to agree to vote for it, because a few minority loud voices get people's attention on any issue."
While Gov. Beshear did state more than once that the horse industry in Kentucky is "self-sufficient" it's clear to him through his interview that staying status quo will not produce the desired result. The state is trying to improve its standardbred Sire Stakes program by opening up the restrictions on mare and sire residency.
"Our problem in Kentucky is that now we're facing that competition from other states that supplement the industry in their states with gaming revenues. So we're trying go figure out ways to make sure that we stay competitive," said Beshear. "I have trainers and owners say to me all the time, 'Governor, I'm sorry but I'm pulled my horses up to West Virginia last weekend and ran in those races up there at that track because the purses were three times as big as they were at Churchill Downs or at Keeneland.'
"It's starting to affect us and I just want to make sure that we maintain this very viable industry. We've got 100,000 people that are dependant on that industry here. We want it as a signature industry and I'm going to make sure it stays that way."
Roughly translated Kentucky
Roughly translated Kentucky wants a slots program at racetracks.
Roughly translated Ontario is trying to figure out where it went wrong in devestating an industry. Nothing that cant be changed respect is earned and would be given if the liberals did the right thing and reintroduced the program.
Or is it that to simple because the casino dream has fallen apart.
The reason Kentucky has had
The reason Kentucky has had it so good for so long is the Thoroughbred Industry and the breeding. Now that other states have Racinos and are supplementing their breeders and races with Racino money-like the SARP used to, Kentucky is going to take a huge hit.
Remember also one very huge difference between the USA and Canada. Their taxes are less than half of what we pay and they don't have HST. They can write off far more than we can on everything includiung mortgages. Also medications and supplies cost one third of what it does here. Also the populations to support the wagering in NY State for example is much bigger.
The Liberals and the OMAFRA panel are going to finally realize the SARP was a very good basis from which to tweak but they ran into it full bore and decided it was a Conservative Plan so lets throw it away in full and make it our plan. Problem is they didnt have a plan before they threw it away and still don't.
The next OMAFRA report is due a month after the Canadian Yearling Sale-Good Luck breeders.
Georg Leber-ICR Racing