Bill expanding KTDF availability to be introduced in next
General Assembly
Representatives of the Kentucky state legislature, the
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Thoroughbred industry organizations
met at Turfway Park Thursday to hear from Sen. John Schickel (R-District 11)
regarding a new bill that will make more purse money available to certain
Thoroughbred horses racing in Kentucky.
The bill was pre-filed December 12 as BR 328 by Schickel, who
represents Boone County. It will be introduced during the next session of the
General Assembly, which begins the second week of January. The bill provides
that horses running in allowance/optional claiming races for a claim price of at least $25,000 will be eligible for
money added to purses from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF).
“This bill has the support of the Kentucky State Senate,”
Schickel said. “We want to protect the horse industry and keep Kentucky horses
on this side of the river.”
As the rules now stand, KTDF money is available only to
horses that are not entered for a claim. Each horse entered in a claiming race
may be bought, or claimed, from that race for a designated price. An allowance/optional claiming race is a hybrid, combining allowance horses, which are not
offered for sale, and claiming horses.
Currently only the allowance horses in
such a race are eligible for the KTDF portion of the purse, which at Turfway
equals half an allowance/optional claiming race purse.
“Senator Schickle’s bill will allow owners and trainers of
Kentucky-bred horses to compete for the entire purse in all allowance/optional
claiming races,” said Tyler Picklesimer, Turfway’s director of racing and racing
secretary. “This will encourage horsemen to keep their higher-priced claiming
horses in Kentucky for the winter.
“That translates to fuller fields and more
quality horses, which will lead to increased wagering. Increased wagering in
turn will increase revenue for Turfway, purse funds for horsemen, and tax
revenue for the Commonwealth. There is absolutely no downside to Senator
Schickle’s bill. It simply allows optional claimers to run for the entire
purse.”
Schickel noted that the language of the bill was developed
by Sen. Damon Thayer (R-District 17) and David Switzer, executive director of
the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and
Breeders.
While Thayer was unable to attend Thursday’s announcement,
Switzer was on hand. Also in attendance were House members Adam Koenig
(R-District 69) and Sal Santoro (R-District 60); Kevin Donnelly, public affairs
manager for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Burr Travis Jr., a member
of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission; Jamie Eads, director of incentives and
development for the Kentucky Breeders’ Incentive Fund; and Marty Maline,
executive director of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective
Association. General Manager Chip Bach and Picklesimer represented Turfway Park.
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