New England Horsemen Submit Dates Application
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by Lynne Snierson
The New England Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association submitted an application Oct. 1 to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to conduct a live meet at Suffolk Downs next year, and the horsemen are in discussions with the track's management team to lease the facility.
Under state law, the deadline to file an application for 2015 racing dates is Oct. 1.
The owners of the Brockton Fairgrounds, which is owned by the family of George Carney, also filed three Thoroughbred dates applications, one for a 60-day meet next year, and two for one date each and both of those are preliminary applications. The NEHBPA filed a preliminary application for one day of live racing and will amend it for more days after the fact.
This month the law was revised by the gaming commissioners, who agreed to accept what they termed "placeholder" applications indicating an operator's "intent to race," and they will allow an applicant to come back with a final application. Each of the Brockton one-day applications may be amended to a 15-day meet.
"The NEHBPA's application is for one date but the number of days requested will be amended," said Anthony Spadea, the group's president. "We needed to meet today's deadline and that is why our application is a placeholder at this stage. We are currently involved in discussions with the management of Suffolk Downs about leasing the racetrack. At this stage, the discussions are preliminary so we need more time before a final and detailed application can be submitted. Our organization is grateful to the gaming commission for allowing placeholder applications."
Under present state law, a minimum of 65 racing days is required for 2015.
The owners of Suffolk Downs said that live racing will end at New England's last Thoroughbred track when the meet ends Oct. 4, and the building will be shut down for simulcasting before year's end. They also said they had no intention of filing for 2015 dates.
Those decisions were forced when the MGC voted Sept. 16 to award the single Boston area casino license to Wynn Resorts, rather than to Suffolk's gaming partner, Mohegan Sun. Without the casino developed on racetrack grounds, Suffolk's owners said they could no longer afford to offer live racing.
The impending shutdown of Suffolk sends track employees and industry stakeholders to the unemployment line.
According to an independent study conducted in 2013, there are 1,500 people who hold direct and non-direct jobs in the state's Thoroughbred industry, which has an annual economic impact of more than $116 million. Moreover, there are 62 farms in the Commonwealth which breed Thoroughbreds and another 71 farms where Thoroughbreds reside, accounting for 6,650 acres of open green space.
"We continue to explore all possible options for the survival of Thoroughbred racing in New England, which is critical for all of the dedicated horsemen and horsewomen, the breeders, and everyone else employed in our industry. We remain optimistic that an agreement which is economically feasible can be reached with Suffolk Downs so that we can race our horses there next year," Spadea said.
"We appreciate the compassion of the ownership and management of Sufffolk Downs, who are working with us to make sure we have the probability of a place to race in 2015," he added.