Negotiations ‘ongoing’ between Gulfstream and horsemen on live-racing contract

Negotiations on a new live-racing agreement between Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and its horsemen remained ongoing Tuesday afternoon, according to officials involved in the process, one day prior to the expiration of the current contract.

The talks were expected to continue Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to the officials, who requested anonymity to characterize talks that remain unresolved.

The current live-racing agreement expires at midnight Wednesday. Live-racing agreements cover racing days, purse distributions, and other related matters.

The expiration of the current agreement has sparked concern due to strained relations between Gulfstream’s owner, 1/ST Racing, and the track’s horsemen. Earlier this year, the two sides sparred over Gulfstream’s ultimately unsuccessful effort to push legislation that would have allowed the track to decouple its racing and casino licenses.

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Gulfstream currently runs approximately 200 live racing dates per year on a year-round schedule. By statute, the track is required to run 40 cards to maintain its racing and casino licenses.

The federal Interstate Horseracing Act requires racetracks to have the consent of its horsemen to send and receive simulcast races. In the past, some horsemen’s groups have withheld that consent in the absence of a live-racing agreement.

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