Finger Lakes HBPA distributing money from purse account to help horsemen

The Finger Lakes Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association will distribute $25 to every trainer for each horse started at the track’s meet last year and $100 for each start made by an owner, the association announced Tuesday.

The distributions are an attempt to provide cash to horsemen at a time when racing has been stalled at nearly every major racetrack in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic. Finger Lakes has suspended racing indefinitely, and a casino at the track that provided massive subsidies to purses also has been shuttered.

The total outlay for the program will be $827,000, the Finger Lakes HBPA said in a press release. The funds will come from purse outlays that were expected to be made on race days that have now been canceled, as well as adjustments to the track’s stakes program in the future.

“Our board of directors felt it was imperative to get some quick money to our horsemen to help with expenses, including feeding their horses, as everyone waits for racing to resume in New York,” said Chris Vaccaro, president of the association. “It’s designed to be a shot in the arm for our trainers and owners with horses at area farms, training centers, or wintering out of state.”

The idea was broached during a teleconference call held last week between the executive directors of various affiliates of the HBPA, according to Eric Hamelback, chief executive officer of the National HBPA.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Hamelback said that the distribution of funds from existing purse accounts can be a difficult decision for most HBPA affiliates, due to the fact that any distribution of funds now will lead to reduced purse distributions in the future. But he said that it is one idea being explored by numerous affiliates to ease the strain among horsemen as they deal with limited racing opportunities.

But support for those ideas also is tempered by the fact that the closing of casinos across the United States has dramatically reduced subsidies for racing purses. Most officials believe that casinos face a far more uncertain short-term future than racetracks, due to the fact that racetracks can hold races spectator-free, whereas casinos rely on large crowds.

“They are trying to be as supportive as they can be financially, but there’s not a lot of money right now to help folks,” Hamelback said.