Posts Tagged ‘blackjack williams’

One of those was anger, an emotion directed largely at Republicans in the Kentucky Senate who defeated House Bill 2, the VLT legislation that would have leveled the playing field with so many other racing states in the region. Another was a feeling of abandonment by the government at a time when people in various parts of the horse industry are hurting. Yet another was a belief among many that the end is near for Kentucky’s year-round racing circuit, with Ellis Park and Turfway Park the tracks most vulnerable to being closed.

The anger many of us felt in the wake of the defeat of the VLT legislation is perfectly normal. The Republicans, led by the bully of the Senate, David “Blackjack” Williams, are the villains in this saga. Williams, who likes to gamble at casinos in nearby states like Indiana and Mississippi, is one of those politicians who wants to “protect us from ourselves” and legislate morality. But Williams can’t, and hasn’t, stopped countless Kentuckians from driving across bridges into Illinois or Indiana or West Virginia and gambling to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, or more—to the benefit of horse racing in those states and to the detriment of Kentucky’s signature industry.

He’s enlisted people like Damon Thayer, the “Senator from Scott” who was jeered during a horse industry rally at Keeneland held after the Senate Appropriations & Revenue Committee voted to kill House Bill 2. I’ve known Thayer for more than 20 years, and like him. We’re about as far apart on the political spectrum as two people can be, but we both want to see the horse industry succeed.

I’m amused that Thayer, who comes from a Republican Party that believes government should stay out of people’s lives, feels Frankfort politicians should keep Kentuckians from gambling on slot machines in their home state to the benefit of the horse industry. He would rather raise taxes on (guess what?) other kinds of gambling, including the lottery and horse racing. In a speech on the Senate floor during the special session, Thayer said he favored raising taxes on these other forms of gambling so the horse industry would get temporary, Band-Aid relief. He was simply hawking Blackjack Williams’ alternative to VLTs, and I’m sure Williams will reward him for his loyalty.

I encourage you to view Thayer’s speech, which can be seen by clicking here, and decide for yourself if he is a friend or foe of racing.

The interesting thing about the inability to get more Republicans behind this bill is that so many powerful horse breeders in Kentucky are major contributors to the Republican Party on the federal level. Perhaps there is a disconnect between people like Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the de facto head of the Republican Party in Kentucky, and Blackjack Williams, the strongman of the state Senate. (Williams, according to many sources, takes his direction from homebuilder Don Ball, who as former head of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association owes an explanation to the horse industry for his opposition to leveling the playing field with VLTs or slots.)

The feeling of abandonment was countered at that same horse industry rally at Keeneland when more than 20 Republicans and Democrats from the state House and Senate came to show their support to the crowd of about a thousand people. As Keenelend’s Nick Nicholson said, people in the horse industry should know that they have more than a few friends in Frankfort. There seemed to be no quit in those who gathered inside Keeneland’s sale pavilion that night, and let’s hope the enthusiasm they showed can carry forward to 2010 and beyond, if necessary.

The industry didn’t have enough friends, though, and it’s more important now than ever to get involved politically, to contact those Senators and Representatives who voted against House Bill 2 and let them know your feelings but to also contact those who supported the industry and thank them for what they did. Respectfully tell the opponents of the VLT legislation that you will work to replace them with people who are willing to support the horse industry in Frankfort.

Finally, there is the issue of how long this industry can maintain a year-round circuit without the economic necessity of slot machines at the tracks. Racing in Kentucky experienced significant growth during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s when tracks capitalized on in-state and out-of-state simulcasting, but it’s been stagnant in recent years as other states have improved their purse structure thanks to slots.

Ron Geary, the owner of Ellis Park, has said 2009 would be the Western Kentucky track’s final year, but he’s apparently reconsidered that stand after hearing an appeal from local government officials. It’s a good thing that Turfway Park, which sits on land more valuable for development than for racing, is owned in part by Keeneland. Racing will not thrive at either track until the legislature recognizes the need for help, but perhaps it will survive another year or two.

In the meantime, channel the emotions that came out of this special session in a positive way by supporting those individuals in state government that support our industry. And let’s work to replace those who aren’t willing to give racing the tools it needs to compete. Know who your friends are…and aren’t.

Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report