Follow Us on Social Media:
Follow Us on Social Media:

BILL WHITE UNANIMOUSLY RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT

FHBPA President Bill White speaks in Tallahassee in support of HB 7037

In a strong show of support and solidarity, Bill White will serve his 3rd term as Florida HBPA President.
White, who faced no challengers for the post from within the FHBPA, was nominated and unanimously re-elected during the FHBPA monthly meeting on March 23rd where 2 new Board Members were introduced, Owner Teresa Palmer and Trainer Chuck Simon.
2017 has gotten off to a great start for the FHBPA, including testifying in front of the Florida House against de-coupling, hiring a top lobbying firm to represent the interests of horsemen across Florida, maintaining open dialog and feedback with on-site meetings with fellow horsemen in Ocala, developing strong bonds with affiliates at the National HBPA convention in Las Vegas, fighting for uniform medication penalties at the Orlando workshop, and negotiating the continuance of the Sunshine Millions.
The lynchpin, however is the new agreement with Gulfstream Park that initiates and sets the stage to promote and grow Florida-bred racing opportunities in South Florida.
The following sets the record straight:
1) FHBPA PURPOSE:
To maximize the FTBOA’s financial contribution to support Florida-bred races/purses. The FTBOA by law must return between 17% and 40% of the money sent to them by Gulfstream Park. The amount of money sent to the FTBOA from Gulfstream Park is over $6,000,000.
2) FHBPA POSITION:
The FTBOA has approximately $2.4 million that could be put back into Gulfstream Florida-bred purses this year. This figure represents the near maximum required by law (40% of $6,000,000).
However, the FTBOA insisted that if the FHBPA/Gulfstream did not provide the FTBOA with an additional $2 million subsidy to the FTBOA they would cut their required reciprocal purse funding to the statutory minimum and reduce their own racing programs.
3) FHBPA ANALYSIS:
The Sire Stakes is limited to and benefits a small pool of nominated horses/breeders. The FTBOA receives enough FHBPA purse money to fund both a two-year-old and three-year-old series on their own without an additional FHBPA handout.
4) FHBPA GOAL:
To encourage the FTBOA to fund Florida-bred races to the maximum of their statutory requirement (40% of the $6,000,000 received from Gulfstream/FHBPA).
In addition to and separate from the FTBOA races, to use the horsemen’s purse money ($1,100,000) and create a 10 race Florida-bred/enhanced program that supports and gives additional strength to the Florida-bred program.
This concept would allow and would keep the Stallion Series fundamentally intact.
This plan allows both the two and three-year-old Sire Stakes races to remain solidly in place.

Yes, ALL the Races are Black Type

Despite what has been incorrectly reported on Thursday, the Florida HBPA Stakes Series races were previously decided to be listed as enhanced purse races which will make them Black Type Races.
To go over the facts once again, the Florida HBPA Stakes Series:

  • Allocates $1,100,000 worth of Florida-bred incentivized races to the schedule.
  • Substantial increase over 2016 which had two $75,000 Fla-bred races other than Stallion Series.
  • Features 6 Florida-bred races each with a purse of $100,000.
  • Includes 4 Florida-bred ENHANCED races each with a $100,000 purse and $25,000 added for Florida-bred horses, and are also Black Type races.
  • The additional $25,000 will be split 70%, 20% and 10% for a Florida-bred who wins, or finishes second or third.

“I am deeply humbled to have earned the board’s trust for another term as President of the FHBPA,” White said. “Our focus will be to protect our successes and add to them. Clearly, a heavy pro-Florida horsemen approach resonates with our members. We will do everything in our power to fight on their behalf and continue to champion our collective cause, a thriving Florida thoroughbred industry.”