Lone Star Park and the Grand Prairie (Texas) Sports Facilities and Development Corporation have reached an agreement whereby the two will share in the costs of several improvements set to be implemented at the Dallas-area track.
Most notable on the list is the installation of video surveillance cameras in all barns. The others are:
• A cooling down area for horses, located about 100 yards beyond the finish line, with fans, cool water, etc. where horses can be bathed and cooled down just moments after unsaddling.
• A new state of the art Duralock moveable turf rail;
• Construction of round pens (as space permits) for horses to spend time outdoors;
• Replacement of damaged stalls (to be done in phases);
• Landscaping, dorm renovations, beautification (to be done in stages).
The impetus for these projects comes from the passage of HB 2463 during the last Texas legislative session that directs up to $25 million annually to the state's horse racing industry through the diversion of sales taxes on horse feed, tack and other equine-related items and services.
Both Lone Star and the Texas Thoroughbred Association issued press releases Wednesday applauding the moves.
“With the passage of this bill, we are hopeful that Texas can once again be a leader in the horse racing industry,” said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the TTA. “We are excited about not only raising the bar for purses and incentives for breeding and racing accredited Texas-breds, but also raising the bar for the health and welfare of our racehorses. These improvements at Lone Star Park will go a long way in accomplishing that goal.”
“The City of Grand Prairie has been an integral part of Lone Star Park's success from the track's inception,” said Scott Wells, president and general manager of Lone Star Park. “Their leadership has enabled us to make much needed renovations on the frontside in areas open to the public, from the suites levels to the ground floor. This move toward improving conditions for horsemen and horses is just another example of our mutual commitment to keeping Lone Star Park a truly world-class facility.”
The 2020 Thoroughbred meet at Lone Star will begin in April.
Though purses have yet to be announced for the Lone Star meet, they are expected to rise significantly. Sam Houston Race Park, which will run a meet prior to Lone Star's, has announced that about $200,000 a day will be paid out on average at the 39-day meet. Maiden special weight races will go for $36,000 as opposed to $21,000 in 2019 and claiming races purses will increase by about 80%.
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