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July
News
FSBOA
OFFICE NOT SITTING ON THERE HANDS!
In recent weeks, Executive Director Jane Murray along
with FSBOA Lobbyist Hubert “Bo” Bohannon, have been traveling the
state meeting with various politicians to update and educate them on the
FSBOA in particular and the harness racing industry in general. During
the legislative session, many legislators asked Bo to keep them updated
on our negotiations. As such, we have met with Rep. Jack Seiler in
Wilton Manors, Sen. Dennis Jones in Clearwater and Rep. Franklin Sands
in Tallahassee. We gave them a first hand report on our negotiations
with Pompano Park. We are also educating them on the Standardbred
industry in Florida and how we compare with other states, both with and
without slot machines, as well as appealing to them for their support on
our issues during the next legislative session.
Jane has also been busy with other meetings,
traveling to Tallahassee to meet with David Roberts, Director of the
State of Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. The purpose of this
meeting was to clarify our stand against proposed rules that would
significantly change licensing procedures for owners and trainers, along
with discussing other ongoing procedural issues.
She also represented the horsemen
at a Salix rules workshop in Fort Lauderdale which, was held May 30 to
fine tune the procedures for Salix administration and the accompanying
paperwork.
Along with FSBOA Attorney Jeff
Schneider, Jane also attended the change of venue hearing at Broward
County Courthouse on June 20 in regards to our pending litigation. More
details about that are elsewhere in this newsletter.
Over the past few months, meetings
and conference calls with the FSBOA Board of Directors, FSBOA
Negotiating Committee, attorneys and lobbyists, along with Pompano
management have been virtually on a daily basis. We are working
and hoping for a resolution as soon as possible.
If you have a two-year-old …
There will be 2YO
racing this year! We’d like to remind everyone to get started on your
DNA verification and electronic eligibilities NOW! We have been advised
that there have been a few problems with DNA samples not reaching the
USTA lab. The current USTA policy is that only their tattoo man can pull
DNA samples. The end result is that the whole process can take much
longer than originally expected. No horse may race or qualify without
these items being completed, so it pays to start the process now. Any
questions, please give our office a call.
HELP
WANTED, BADLY!
The South Florida SPCA has lost the lease to the Rescue Ranch.
Without the availability of this facility, there is no place to house
those horses and other large animals that are removed from abusive and
neglectful situations.
For more than a decade the Rescue Ranch has
provided a needed service for the communities of Miami-Dade and Broward
Counties.
If you
or someone you know, either a private individual, corporation or
government entity has 10-15 acres of land and you can intercede for us,
now is the time to make that call. Once we have some land, we will need
the services of an architect to draw plans for construction of stables
and other buildings. We will need the donation of building supplies and
fencing. We will also need the donation of skilled construction labor.
We need all the help we can get, NOW!
If
you can help with any of these needs, now is the time to act!
Give a Standardbred a chance!
Call
Laurie Waggoner at 305-825-8826
www.helpthehorses.com
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BREEDING
. . .
There
are several exciting and productive new stallions that are standing in
Florida in 2006, as well as many previous proven producers. This web
site features FULL PEDIGREES on many of these
registered stallions. The FSBOA also maintains and prints a complete
stallion directory that we would be happy to mail to those interested
breeders. Contact the FSBOA for more information.
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Lawsuit
Commentary
by
Jim Ripoll
The
FSBOA versus the Isle of Capri Casinos and the state of Florida hearing
lasted all of two minutes on June 20, 2007. The intent of this hearing
was to hear arguments on changing the venue of the lawsuit trial.
Eventually the judge had to recuse himself because of a conflict of
interest. He was a former name partner of the law firm representing the
Isle of Capri.
As a result of this very short hearing, less
than five minutes, rumors were rampant on the backside. Specifically,
that the FSBOA and the horsemen had lost the case. That rumor and many
others eventually wind there way to the FSBOA.
Jane Murray attended that court
hearing accompanied by Jeff Schneider, the FSBOA lawyer from the Tew
Cardenas law firm. When Jane returned to the office the following day
she acknowledged that it had been a very frustrating experience. Surely
not the first nor the last in this process of trying to get a fair share
of the slots revenue from PPI.
If people would only realize that what
they are hearing on the backside is mostly unsubstantiated gossip as
related to the ongoing dispute between the FSBOA and Isle of Capri. If
you want legitimate information or to confirm what you might have heard,
all that needs to be done is call the FSBOA. We will not intentionally
withhold any information from the horsemen nor will we speculate on the
possible finality of an ongoing process. Keep in mind that because of
the lawsuit we must protect the integrity of that suit. We have to be
very careful and cannot malign the opposition because of the likelihood
that public fabricated accusations can be used against us in a court of
law.
Patience is the name of the game at this
point in time. There will be an outcome and the FSBOA staff and
directors are doing their utmost for the benefit of its members.
Jim
Ripoll
GILCREST
TRAINING CENTER
Gilcrest Training Center in Bell, Florida
will open in the fall with rental barns, grooms quarters and trailer park sites in full
operation. Rental barns include 57 stalls. Each barn has a bath stall with hot water.
Stall rent is $800 per stall for the November through May season. The trailer park
has ten spaces that will rent for $10 per day (includes electric & sewer).
Also have three (3) furnished mobile
homes at $600 per month.
Grooms quarters will be available. Charges for grooms quarters is
$200 per month.
Contact: Gail McIlmurry 989-469-4265 or
352-463-3581
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FSBOA WEB SITE
The
FSBOA website (www.flstandardbreds.com) has been undergoing many
changes. Jim Ripoll has added membership forms, late closer forms,
yearling nomination forms and also the constitutional amendment petition
in PDF format so that our members can easily download and utilize these
forms. Please check it out – let us know if you have any suggestions
on how we can make the site better. Also, we are compiling an email list
for our members. Drop me an email at jane.fsboa@att.net and I’ll put
your email address on this list.
Don’t Leave Home Without It
…
The State of Florida would like to remind everyone that you must carry
your Florida license with you at all times when on the grounds of
Pompano. This is in addition to your track ID badge. The FSBOA has
arranged with the Pompano Security Office to laminate your Florida
license, so stop by their office and Salli or Edda will be glad to
laminate your license.
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Warning
to all horsemen and horsewomen. If you are injured as a
result of a third party incident, do not accept a final judgment ($$$$)
from the insurance company until all bills and debt have been satisfied
from the various companies involved in the resolution of the incident.
Do not sign any agreements with the insurance company!
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