Governor Tom Wolf
The Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (PHBPA) has agreed in principle with the management of Penn National to resume spectator-free racing at the track prior to the opening of Hollywood Casino if Governor Tom Wolf gives approval. "When racing resumes, our board is committed to maintaining the same daily purse structure," Todd Mostoller, the PHBPA's executive director, wrote in a one-page memo to members issued Wednesday afternoon. "The number of days raced will be adjusted as needed." Mostoller added that he has received assurance from the governor's office that...
The Week in Review, by Bill Finley Down to 12 horses and with no income coming in since Parx stopped racing after a Mar. 10 card, trainer Mike Catalano has a simple request. "I just want to go back to living," he said. To Catalano, that means having a full barn of horses, racing four days a week and being able to put food on his table. It may not happen any time soon. Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf maintained that racetracks should be in the same category as...
Addressing the plight of the state's racetracks on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf laid out a difficult path that must be followed before the state's three Thoroughbred tracks can start running again. As is the case with many governors, Wolf has put forth a plan that calls for the state to reopen in stages, in Pennsylvania's case red, yellow and green phases. While horsemen have advocated that racing, without spectators, should be among the first businesses in the state to reopen, Wolf said the tracks cannot resume racing until their...
from Katie DeCanzio I am writing with urgency asking for help by bringing attention to a crisis we are currently experiencing in Pennsylvania regarding the horse racing industry. As a result of Gov. Tom Wolf's lockdown orders in response to Covid-19 our industry is on the verge of collapse. Horse racing in Pennsylvania generates revenues solely through gaming activities.Horse racing creates 23,000 jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity within our state. Unlike other businesses, horse racing cannot simply shut its doors as a result of a lockdown order.There...
Following Governor Tom Wolf's visits to Kutztown and East Stroudsburg Universities, local Pennsylvania residents spoke out in opposition to his plan to raid $204 million from a trust fund used for horse breeder incentives and racing purses to pay for his new college scholarship plan. The money in the fund, which is paid for out of casino slot machine revenues and are not taxpayer dollars, serves as the lifeblood of the state's horse breeding and racing industry by funding purses and breeder incentives. Under the Governor's proposal, there would be...
Governor Tom Wolf's expected to visit Lock Haven University Wednesday to tout his college tuition plan prompted Pennsylvanians to speak out about the negative impact his plan--which would divert money from Pennsylvania agriculture--would have on jobs and the agricultural industry. Supporters of Pennsylvania agriculture argue Wolf's plan for funding the new initiative would result in the end of horse breeding and racing, put more than 20,000 state residents out of work and it would jeopardize hundreds of thousands of acres of open space, thereby eliminating an industry that has a...
Dear Editor: Thank you for your article keeping the pressure up on Governor Wolf, as his timing could not be any worse. Who is going to breed to Pennsylvania stallions this season with this sword hanging over our heads? You would think as governor he would have at least taken into consideration that breeding season is only from February 15 to May 31. By acting irresponsibly, Governor Wolf has absolutely destroyed the 2020 Pennsylvania breeding season, regardless of whether his proposal is defeated, which it most certainly should be. I...