Union Bosses block Kentucky Derby from the Birmingham Race Course and Victoryland

Thousands flock to the Magic City from Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi for the biggest horse racing day of the year, The Kentucky Derby. The purses are huge, the payouts are bigger, and the economic impact is significant. For the first time in over ten years the Birmingham Race Course and Victoryland, will be prohibited from wagering on the race. The Horsemens Benevolence and Protective Association (HBPA) lodges in other states have taken the initiative to not approve the transmission of signals in support of the Alabama group, said Birmingham Racing Commission Executive Secretary William Kip Keefer. Keefer went on to say, Its ironic that horsemen are penalizing horse racing fans in Alabama that support their sport. Lost tax revenue to the City of Birmingham and the State will be in the tens of thousands of dollars for the Derby alone, said Birmingham Race Course General Manager Joe ONeill. Its estimated the loss of wagering rights will exceed eight million dollars in 2012. The Alabama HBPA union is made up of a handful of local horse breeders, trainers, owners, and is an affiliate of the National HBPA. While they claim to represent the entire state, they have singled out only the Birmingham Race Course and Victoryland. Its about more than just moneythe unions are power hungry said Victoryland General Manager Jim Gartland. We offered Kentucky 100% of the proceeds if they would just allow our customers to participate in the Derby, but that request was denied. If its just about money they would have accepted that deal, Gartland said. Over five million dollars has been set aside for Alabama horsemen from simulcast proceeds since the Birmingham Race Course ceased live racing in 1995. The Birmingham Race Course continues to escrow an estimated $200,000 annually for Alabama bred races. As recent as December of 2011, $35,000 was allocated to run an Alabama bred race in Louisiana. The race ran with an embarrassing field of four horses, with two of those horses being owned by the same individual. How can they claim to be a horsemens group, when they cant even pull together enough horses for a race, said ONeill. Lengthy legal battles have taken place between horsemen unions for the past two decades. Many of these lawsuits have been funded by Birmingham businessman Michael Pizitz. Pizitz is president of the Alabama Thoroughbred Association, another in-state horse union. In 2009, a court order by a Jefferson County Judge stated the union must hold a new election of officers, the court also appointed a special master to oversee the election. This hostile takeover was led by Pizitz and Morgan Stanley Executive Nancy Delony. Its hypocrisy at its finest, said ONeill. ONeill went on to say The court appointed special master shares a skybox at the Birmingham Race Course with millionaire Pizitz and Delony. ONeill believes that there is evidence that supports serious voters irregularities in the election, The court appointed special master confirmed in a letter certified to the court that deceased members of the union voted as well as duplicate ballots. The HBPA slogan horsemen helping horsemen has now turned to horsemen extorting for horsemen, said ONeill. Were not going to dwell on the fact we are not having the Kentucky Derby, but will offer wagering on the Preakness and the Belmont as well as other horse simulcast from around the country including California and New York. Instead we are going to have a celebration of twenty years of greyhound racing, ONeill said. The Birmingham Race Course will present the first annual Greyhound Derby, which features eight of the fastest greyhounds in Alabama. Friday, May fourth the track will offer a free play giveaway, along with a Mustang giveaway on the evening of May fifth. On Saturday from 11am to 3pm its family fun day, which will include carnival games, free carnival food, greyhound adoption, and free t-shirts to first thousand guests. ONeill also said, We are also doing away with the high cost associated with the Kentucky Derby, and have dollar drinks, hot dogs, and programs all day. Bring your entire family out to the track for a great day of family fun.