New NTRA Leader Plans Strong Voice in Washington

In his first formal address to the industry, new National Thoroughbred and Racing Association president and CEO Tom Rooney emphasized the importance of having a strong industry voice in Washington as he outlined immediate priorities for the organization. 

Speaking Dec. 7 at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's Global Symposium on Racing, the former congressman expressed optimism for the industry as he begins his "dream job" and described how he sees himself best able to help Thoroughbred racing.

"The job is to go to Washington on your behalf and act like a congressman again, but on behalf of just one issue, and that issue is horse racing," said Rooney, billed as the keynote speaker to begin two days of sessions at the Symposium outside Tucson, Ariz.

Rooney, who served Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-19, was hired for his political prowess and explained how his longstanding relationships with legislators will get racing's priorities addressed faster.

"Knowing who is on the committees, who their staffers are, what the issues are, and what language you want in bills, is critically important," he said. "If you know the staffer that handles the issue you want, the language in a certain bill, or a rider on a continuing resolution, you can cut out the congressman. That's how Washington really works."

Rooney recapped several of the NTRA's pre-existing priorities that he intends to advance: ensuring credit card companies are able to support ADW deposits, extending three-year tax depreciation for racehorses, and easing access to visas for migrant workers. Hailing from a family steeped in gambling lore (legend has it that grandfather Art Rooney purchased the Pittsburgh Steelers with winnings from a massive parlay score at Saratoga Race Course), he was especially animated while expressing his support for integrating horse racing with sports gambling.

"If you're going to bet on the Steelers and parlay the Sixers, you need to be able to add the Kentucky Derby into that too," Rooney said. "My son has a FanDuel account and he's betting on Chinese basketball at 3 a.m. He doesn't know anything about either team but he can bet on it. That's the next generation of sports bettors. You can bet twenty bucks on four or five different events to win $2,000. Horse racing has to be part of that. 

"Whatever it takes for us to get there, we cannot be left behind. We cannot be put into a separate category or account or the next generation of gamblers will be betting on sports and not including horse racing. That would be disastrous."

Rooney expressed support for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act and related it to Monday's death of 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit .

"We love what we do because we love horses," he said. "There might be some people in this room who are just here because their job is a good way to make money, but I don't believe it. 

"It's important that we continue to express that when times are hard. Things like HISA can help us carry that message so when controversy strikes our industry, as it does all the time, we are able to point to the Authority and say, 'This industry will get this right, and we will do the right thing by the horse.'"

Rooney also cautioned against giving too much credence to racing's critics. He suggested the industry focus on its core beliefs. 

"We live in a changing world and our opponents have not gone away, nor will they ever," he said. "You're never going to convince some people who think that horse racing needs to end now or that if we do a little bit to appease certain groups they will leave us alone. That is never going to happen. They will never stop until they get what they got in Florida with greyhound racing. All we can do is the best that we can do and constantly ask ourselves, 'Are we doing the best we can for our industry?'"