AP 2013 Stall App. Includes Stall Rent
The Arlington Park 2013 Stall Application includes the following
Stall Rent provision:
29.) The undersigned Owner, Trainer or Authorized Agent acknowledges
that each additional starter in a race will produce an increase in
Mutuel Handle, which will increase Purse Revenues for Horsemen,
and is expected to average at least One (1) Start per Month for each
stall allotted during the 2013 Race Meet. A stall rent may be imposed
on trainers that do not average one (1)start per stall per month or
on a horse which runs at another racetrack in a race and condition
that Arlington offers and runs.
The language in bold above is new and can be viewed at Arlington's
website under "Horsemen Services". ITHA opposes this new language.
ITHA would approve the same language contained in Arlington's ultimate
Stall Application for 2012.
ITHA was not consulted by Arlington prior to putting out this Stall
Application, despite our current contract with Arlington which states,
at 9A, "TRACK agrees to submit a copy of any proposed stall application
and agreement to ITHA."
Arlington attempted the same thing last year, with the same language,
and ITHA opposed it then too. The IRB also let Arlington know last
year that such a change to the Stall Application would have to be
brought before the IRB Board since it was not included in Arlington's
Dates Application. Also, like last year, the IRB has no February Board
Meeting and so its next Regular Meeting on March 27, 2013 is after the
due date Arlington has set for 2013 Stall Apps.
Arlington responded last year by pulling back its initially published
2012 Stall App and putting out a new version which was identical to
its 2011 Stall App.
Again, for 2013, Arlington apparently did not include this language
change in its Dates Application and affirmatively testified that it had
no intention to do so. During the 2013 IRB Dates Hearing on
September 25, 2012, while Arlington Park's General Manager Tony Petrillo
was testifying under oath, he was asked by the Board if there is any
intention on having stall rent next year (2013), to which Mr. Petrillo
testified "At Arlington Park? No." This audio testimony can be found
on the Illinois Racing Board website under Meeting Minutes for the
9/25/12 Board Meeting beginning around 4:17:20.
ITHA will continue to oppose the changed language in the
2013 Arlington Park Stall Application.
