In a move that could serve as a model for other states, Kentucky lawmakers have passed legislation that will commit up to $250,000 a year to accredited aftercare of racehorses.
The aftercare funding, as well as $250,000 toward an internship program focused on equine management, are tied to a percentage of pari-mutuel wagering on historical horse racing games in the state.
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance welcomes the support of the yearly contribution.
"What's great is this way we're going to be able to send money to all of the groups throughout Kentucky as soon as possible," said TAA president Jeffrey Bloom. "This is really coming at a good time. I'm thankful, I'm happy, I'm thrilled.
"Hopefully, it's a blueprint, if you will, for other states to jump on board. It's always a math problem when it comes to aftercare. And we've made incredible progress.
"I'm beyond proud of what the folks before me have done at the TAA in general. We've got a lot of great support throughout the industry but we need more. At the end of the day it's the entire industry's problem. Everybody needs to be responsible, whatever role we play in the industry, for looking after the care and welfare of each of these racehorses."
Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer (Republican, Georgetown) supported amendments to House Bill 8 that will provide funding for racehorse aftercare and the additional internship program. The internship amendment does not affect state funding that supports the Equine Industry Program at the University of Louisville (up to $850,000), the University of Kentucky Equine Program (up to $400,000), and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College's Equine Program (up to $250,000).
Thayer has kept a focus on horse racing and breeding issues throughout his more than two decades in the Kentucky Senate. He said he's proud of this legislation that will benefit the industry going forward, as he doesn't plan to run again at year's end.
The amendment that supports aftercare funding in the state calls on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to serve as the administrative agent of the fund and direct that money to the benefit of facilities that care for retired Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and Quarter Horses. The amendment states that the fund would be reserved for "aftercare facilities in Kentucky only after the facilities have achieved and maintained levels of service and operation that resulted in national accreditation."
The TAA board accredits Thoroughbred aftercare organizations. Bloom noted that the TAA board, with many of the efforts led by Mark Simendinger, worked with Kentucky lawmakers to see if such funding could become a reality. Simendinger is a former president of Turfway Park and former Kentucky Horse Racing Commission vice president.
"At the end of the day, aftercare has come a long way, but we've got a long way to go," Bloom said. "And so a number of the board members had worked tirelessly on trying to get the Kentucky state legislature to get on board with helping us support aftercare. In particular, Damon Thayer has been an incredible friend to the racing industry. With aftercare, when he decided to lend his hand and support, we were able to get this incredibly exciting donation.
"Now that it's done it seems so easy, but it's been a long time in the making, and a lot of great people on the TAA staff and the board, and in our champion in Damon. They are really pulling it together for us."
