White elected president of Florida HBPA

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Longtime south Florida-based trainer Bill White has been elected president of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, replacing incumbent Phil Combest.

White dominated the trainer standings at Calder Race Course in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning 11 titles, including eight straight. His most important victory came with High Fly in the 2005 Florida Derby. White has served on the board of directors of the Florida HBPA for 15 years. He took a break from training horses at the end of 2014, giving him additional time to devote to his new duties.

“Racing as we know it is changing right now, and I wanted to get back involved because I think it’s real important for both the racetracks and the horsemen to work together and try to get it right,” said White. “I have found in this industry that once things are put in place, it’s very hard to change. I think we’re at a very important point, and I want to get involved and do what I can to get the puzzle put together right again.”

White said his major focus is overseeing the transition of the bulk of racing on the south Florida circuit from Calder, now known as Gulfstream Park West, to Gulfstream Park.

“The transition between Calder reducing its days and Gulfstream expanding its days is an important issue, and I want to get involved in getting that formula set up where it works for both the track and the horsemen,” said White. “The workman’s compensation situation is also a very difficult issue we’re dealing with at the moment. It’s a very involved process that a lot of people have put a lot of time into. We’re still working on it, and I think we’re going to get it done.”