By T. D. Thornton
Six hours after an Aug. 31 press conference at which United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other proponents of a federal bill announced newly achieved compromise among industry stakeholders in crafting new anti-doping oversight for horse racing, Eric Hamelback, the CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), told TDN that his organization is actually not on board with the plan.
Hamelback's emailed clarification was in response to a request for comment from TDN that did not arrive in time to be included in the original version of this story.
Much of the context of Monday's press conference at Keeneland to announce the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HSIA) bill that McConnell intends to file in September was based around the terms “compromise,” “consensus” and “bringing everybody together.” This was an especially salient point because two previous industry holdouts to the concept of federal legislation, Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) and the NHBPA, were being billed as having now lent their support to the new version of the bill.
About two minutes before the conclusion of the press conference, U.S. Representative Andy Barr (R-KY), who co-chairs the Congressional Horse Caucus and has co-sponsored three previous versions of the Horseracing Integrity Act (2015, 2017, 2019) thanked CDI (which did have a representative at the event affirming support) for “joining the cause.” Barr then specifically praised trainer Dale Romans for working with his coalition, and he saluted the NHBPA for sharing an “influential voice in support of this legislation.”
Hamelback's statement to TDN took umbrage with that characterization. It reads, in full:
“Today, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his plans to introduce legislation that purports to set national standards to promote fairness, transparency, and increased safety in Thoroughbred racing.
“Senator McConnell claims to have found compromise within the industry, yet no representative horsemen's groups, horseplayers or veterinary leadership organizations seem to have been consulted in the collaboration. The National HBPA represents close to 30,000 owners and trainers who want nothing more than increased safety and integrity to secure the strength of the business and our industry.
“The greatest concern of the National HBPA is protecting the health and safety of horses. If Senator McConnell is serious about hearing from tens of thousands of real Kentuckians, as well as horsemen across the country, we stand ready to meet with him. We certainly hope he will meet with us since those pushing this bill have mischaracterized the industry and our views in the past.
“As CEO, I can tell you we were never consulted on the recently announced Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. Contrary to an erroneous statement made by another elected official at today's announcement, the HBPA was not made aware of any 'compromise' negotiations until a deal had already been reached, nor has the Board of the National HBPA even been asked for its support.
“Because the legislative text has not yet been released, the National HBPA will reserve final judgement, but we caution our elected leaders to not be misled by the wealthy few who continue to promote federal legislation in service to their own, private interests. Based on what we heard today, we are concerned these elite few continue to hold the reins.”
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