Expanded gaming in other states has allowed those states to increase purse sizes tremendously, luring many of Kentucky's thoroughbreds to race at those locations rather than in Kentucky.
In addition, many states have enhanced purses for horses which are born in that state (such as Pennsylvania-bred races) which entice horse owners to move their breeding operation to that state so that their horses are eligible for these state-oriented races, affecting Kentucky breeding farms with reduced stallion and foaling/broodmare income.
The economies at stake are not only the training and horse ownership interests, who will be lured by these large purses, but also the breeding operations, which are attracted by large purses allocated to horses born in other states. In turn, services which support the racing and thoroughbred breeding operations will be affected likewise: veterinarians, farriers, feed and hay suppliers, transportation, etc.
The Kentucky Horse Council board SUPPORTS the efforts of the Thoroughbred industry to initiate expanded gaming in Kentucky.
JUNE 2009 UPDATE: During the June, 2009 special legislative session, the Kentucky House passed the Video Lottery bill, but in the Senate the bill did not make it out of committee. Therefore, the bill is not passed. KEEP and other racing industry interests have announced their intention to continue supporting this effort during the 2010 session.
Relevant articles from
KEEP:
For up-to-date information on this issue, contact Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) at 859.259.0007 or Toll Free at 866.771.KEEP.
Do you know that in Japan, horse industry is very successfull and without the video poker. In 1962, they issued an agricultural law, alike like the french one? In Quebec, we have no more horse racing industry because of our competition, policians, ignorant horsemen and we had the grey market of video poker since 1980 and 1993 our competitor Loto Québec . NO more pari mutuel, no more jobs etc.. Did you know that Jean Pierre Dubois who dis spend some of his revenus made in France, mad