Turf Paradise allegedly locks out Skyfall 7 employees

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Turf Paradise property owner Jerry Simms has reportedly utilized his rights under a lease agreement with Gary Hartunian’s Skyfall 7 to lock out the company’s employees and retake possession of the facility. 

Signs around the track said “TP Racing as owner of the property has retaken possession of the premises and that entry be authorized by TP Racing.”

Simms is the majority owner of TP Racing.

Skyfall 7 owns the racing permit and was to run the meet that is slated to start Nov. 27. Earlier last week there were resignations by key personnel, including general manager Tom Ludt.

Others who resigned include Freddy and Dylon Alvarez, a father-son team who maintained the racing surfaces.

There was also concern about missing money from the horseman’s purse fund. According to Leroy Gessman, executive director of the Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, hundreds of thousands of dollars were reportedly missing. The money, over $500,000, has been returned, according to Horseracingnation.com.

It’s undetermined whether all this puts the upcoming meet at risk. Horses are scheduled to start arriving to the stable area Oct. 19.

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