Maybe the Florida Standardbred Industry Likes Playing the Victim

The following is a press release from the group known as the United Florida Horsemen.  Make sure to read the comments at the end.

Florida Horse Racing Officials to Join International Researcher For Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse Economic Impact Presentation to Senate Gaming Committee Today

Officials from Florida's Thoroughbred and accredited Quarter Horse racing industries will join analyst and researcher Will Cummings, who will present his findings on the statewide economic impact of horse racing to the Florida Senate Committee on Gaming today, February 3, 2014.

Cummings' presentation is scheduled first on the two-hour Committee agenda, which begins at 1 p.m. (ET).  Live Webcast coverage will be available on http://www.TheFloridaChannel.org

and http://www.flsenate.gov/Media/VideoSchedule.

A specialist in the research and analysis of the economics, management, operations, taxation, and regulation of legal gambling industries, including casinos, race tracks, race track slot machine facilities, off-track betting, account wagering, state lotteries, charitable gaming, and Native American gaming, Cummings has analyzed these industries throughout the United States, Canada, and Caribbean.  A Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, he has testified before the United States Congress, state legislatures, local government bodies, and many regulatory agencies.  He has also appeared as a featured speaker before a variety of academic and industry organizations, including the International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, the Association of Racing Commissioners International, Racetracks of Canada, and the World Greyhound Federation.

Cummings will be joined in person by officials of United Florida Horsemen, which comprises the following Florida horse racing industry organizations that collectively represent nearly 10,000 business owners and members statewide:

Kent Stirling, Executive Director--Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (FHBPA)

Phil Combest, President--Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

Lonny Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President--Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association

Dr. Steve Fisch, D.V.M., President--Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, Florida Quarter Horse Breeders' and Owners' Association

Tom Ventura, President--Ocala Breeders' Sales

“There’s a reason Ocala is known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ and South Florida is hailed as the road to the Kentucky Derby," FHBPA's Stirling said.

One has to wonder where is the representation of the Florida Standardbred Industry?  This group is fighting against fake racing that is going on in Gretna and working on revamping the Florida Pari-mutuel code to avoid such farces in the future.  Yes, harness racing is the little kid on the block but not being part of this group allows them to worry about themselves and not harness racing and it may result in a new set of rules which work against harness racing.  Having harness representation on the group may allow for fairer treatment of the standardbred industry.  

But this shouldn't be surprising.  Nor should it be if and when the standardbred industry bemoans any new rules adopted which works against it.  Sometimes I think we just like being the victim. 

Note: In the past I reached out to the FSBOA about this issue and got no response.  There is no reason to assume I would get a response from them this time.