LETTER TO THAYER: KENTUCKY IS KILLING THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG
The Paulick Report recently received a letter that was sent to KY Senator Damon Thayer office from a breeder who asked that their name not be used. The letter describes how dramatically the absence of revenue from alternative forms of game is hurting the breeding industry in Kentucky to the point that they are leaving the job of their dreams. Read the letter in its entirety and let us know your thoughts. Agree with it or not, their story is certainly a gripping one.
Sen. Thayer -
This week I have been dutifully sending out reminder emails to boarders with links attached so that they can nominate their mares and get their payments in for the Kentucky Breeders Incentive Fund. I am pasting below an example of the responses I have received, the client’s name has been removed.
"We have a much better program running currently in PA where I will foal all of my mares out. Here we have a 40% bonus added to the purse plus breeder incentive awards so I think this is the best bet. I have clients shipping in from California and some from Kentucky that I will foal out here because of the lucrative bonus program here. They just have to be in PA by Oct 1st and remain here until after they foal out. Thank you for thinking of me though."
I moved to Kentucky from Tennessee because I have never wanted to work in anything as much as the horse industry. Now I am doing everything I can to get out of it. Not easy to do in this economy and 14 years in the industry under my belt. Not easy to try to walk away from something that I know inside and out and love with all my heart. When people don’t want to breed their thoroughbreds in Kentucky and keep them here, there’s a problem. Before they were sold here, before people even believed in what used to be called "western racing" (see Sam Riddle, owner of Man O’ War), they believed in breeding their horses here. The above quote is testament to the fact they no longer do.
I don’t expect the government to go out of its way to prop this industry up. It has to learn to survive on its own. However, there is no reason for the government to stand in the way of measures that will help it. No one is asking the state for money. All the Bible thumpers need to get over it and be reminded of the 1st Amendment. No one is going to put a gun to their head and make them pull the arm of a slot machine.
Kentucky is killing the goose that laid the golden egg. The horse industry is having it bad enough with the banks these days. We don’t need our legislators making it worse.
Sincerely,
KY Horseperson
Tags: damon thayer, Paulick Report, VLT
July 30th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
This horse breeder is hitting the nail on the head and I sincerely hope the state does everything it can to protect and preserve what makes the Commonwealth so incredibly unique. Kentucky, though, has always been known for its hypocrisy. After all, while proclaiming that it is part of the Bible Belt, no other state promotes hard liquor, tobacco, and other “vices” like pari-mutual wagering as much as Kentucky.
For God’s sake (pardon the pun), no one ever went to Hell for gambling (if anyone has proof otherwise, my mind is open).
Sincerely,
AGS
July 30th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Traitor Thayer and his bossman Williams will leave their mark in the history books as the biggest criminals that horse racing ever was affiliated with.
I hope their children enjoy reading about their attempts to kill racing in Kentucky.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
This is more than what I jokingly call “Jesus and the Slots.” This is about a spineless member of the Kentucky State Senate choosing his own political gain by playing a stupid game with the horsemen of Kentucky. Thayer’s loyalty is to his political career and then Black David Williams, the man who could help Thayer hold a leadership position next year.
Again, there is absolutely NO reason Kentucky cannot have slots, or vlt’s as they are so named. If the instant racing game can fly, then so can vlts.
How many more farms should be on the verge of shuttering, with dozens and in some cases, hundreds of employees are let go and must go on unemployment, food stamps, Medicaid, thereby creating a larger strain on our social services system.
It’s not costing the state anything, except David Williams’ pride in knowing he stuck it to the horsemen who didn’t back his Republican candidates.
And Thayer….he should know better, but he has chosen his own political ascent above the hardworking breeding and racing industry employees.
July 30th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Give the crybaby a hanky. Fads change. Interests change. If, for whatever reason, the public no longer wants to attend or wager on races, then the logical conclusion would be to begin downsizing, or “right-sizing”. It makes no economic sense to subsidize racing with money from other industries or general taxes. Make racing self-sustainable or shut it down. Horse owners and breeders have no more right to economic success than anyone else.
On another note, last Saturday, I bet on a horse at the Juarez, Mexico Race and Sports Book, and the book took 10% of the winnings. I’ll never bet in Juarez again.
July 30th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Hey Phil-
All Kentucky horsemen want is the same playing field other states have. Not a better playing field, the same. Other states already have the slot machine advantage.
GET IT PHIL? WE JUST WANT TO PLAY ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. IF NOT, KENTUCKY HORSE RACING WILL DIE.
GET IT PHIL?
July 31st, 2010 at 9:57 am
All this said, something must be wrong with our legislative process when a couple of people can stand in the way of progress. Isn’t there a way around their input or vote? Who cares what they think when the majority feels otherwise? I thought that’s why we have a democratice society. Ok, so they are not in favor of casinos/slots, don’t play. But don’t stand in the way of survival, because it’s survival of the fittest for Kentucky racing/breeding/owning, and on and on. Kentucky is no longer “unbridled”.
B