Photo:

Gonzalo Anteliz Jr. / Eclipse Sportswire

The horsemen’s organization representing Thoroughbred owners and trainers at Gulfstream Park is rejoining the National HBPA as an affiliate.

The board of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, North America’s largest group representing Thoroughbred owners and trainers, unanimously approved re-admitting the organization currently called the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen. Known as the Florida HBPA for years, the South Florida group left the National HBPA in 2019.

“Our full board had serious discussions about the request of the South Florida horsemen to return as an affiliate,” National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback said. “Everyone seemed very encouraged and felt as if now would be the time for them to return because of the ongoing issues in Florida. Our board members are convinced there is strength in numbers and working together is the best way to assist not only individual state affiliates but horsemen across the country.”

Gulfstream Park has horsemen who race at the Hallandale Beach track year-round as well as those who ship their stables south for the four-month winter season. Horsemen there became alarmed when Gulfstream Park’s ownership announced it was pushing decoupling legislation that would allow the track to keep its gaming licenses without the current requirement to conduct live horse racing.

The Gulfstream horsemen’s association is under new leadership since the decoupling issue exploded in early January, when a track ownership’s representative told horsemen the track would race three more years if the horsemen didn’t fight the decoupling legislation and could close sooner if they did object. The Gulfstream representative said the track wants to build a casino and hotel on the property.

Horse owner Tom Cannell now is the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s president, with fellow owners Adam Lazarus and Chester Bishop the vice presidents. The organization has more than 5,000 members, Cannell said.

“Since the decoupling issue has hit the fan, we thought it was in our best interest to be under the umbrella of a national group,” he said. “We were members of the HBPA for years. We decided last week that if the opportunity presented itself, we’d look to get back into the HBPA.

“We’re looking forward to participating. Anything National would like of us, all they have to do is pick up the phone and call. We certainly respect Eric and the group. We share a lot of the same views. It just felt right” to rejoin.

The South Florida horsemen would bring to 24 the number of National HBPA affiliates in the U.S. and five in Canada. Coincidentally, the annual HBPA conference was held last week in Safety Harbor, near Tampa. The affiliates include the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA, which is the representative for owners and trainers at the Oldsmar track and is separate from the Gulfstream horsemen’s association.

Cannell and Bishop attended the HBPA conference on Tuesday at Hamelback’s invitation. The National HBPA full board approved the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s membership at its meeting Thursday.

The National HBPA was the first national organization to join the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association in actively working to defeat decoupling legislation. The National HBPA, FTBOA and Tampa Bay HBPA quickly signed on with the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, an industry collaborative created last month to provide funds and resources for protecting live racing, starting with South Florida. The Gulfstream Park horsemen joined TRI soon thereafter.

The South Florida affiliate will continue to be separate from the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA.

“The two of us have remained independent over the years, and we respect them and wish them the best,” Cannell said.