Gulfstream, Horsemen Reach Deal on Racing Through 2028

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Gulfstream Park Racing Association announced Dec. 31 a three-year agreement that, with each passing year, lowers the minimum number of required racing days at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. The parties agree to the following three-year live minimum racing schedule: No less than 180 live race days for calendar year 2026 No less than 140 live race days for calendar year 2027 No less than 120 live race days for calendar year 2028 The announced agreement comes just as the current contract was to expire. Horsemen in Florida and 1/ST Racing, which owns and operates Gulfstream Park, have been at odds over several issues, including a purse overpayment and 1/ST Racing's desire to decouple racing from its casino, which is far more profitable than racing. Gulfstream Park sits on valuable real estate in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Decoupling legislation backed by 1/ST Racing, which also would have allowed Tampa Bay Downs to decouple, cleared the Florida House of Representatives in 2025 before stalling in the Senate. A similar bill is expected to be debated in 2026. Decoupling led to the demise of Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing in Florida. A release from the FHBPA said the agreement is designed to provide stability to horsemen and women and a sustainable path for live Thoroughbred racing in South Florida. The horsemen's organization and Gulfstream both said they would continue to have discussions to enhance racing and explore solutions for the long-term future of racing in South Florida. "There are many unknowns in the world today, especially in horse racing; I am so proud of the work of your board of directors and their tenacity to fight to provide some clarity to our membership over the next three years," FHBPA president Tom Cannell said. Gulfstream Park said in a separate release that the principles of the agreement reflect a commitment of the parties to run as much live racing as possible, provided average field sizes and the condition of the purse account remain commercially reasonable. The number of race days per year through 2028 provides live racing minimums well above the 40-day minimum required by law. "As always, our objective is to run as much as we can," said Aidan Butler, CEO of 1/ST Racing. "The reality is that the industry is changing and this framework is focused on providing a quality racing product rooted in economic reality giving horsemen and women, fans, our employees and the industry greater clarity and stability." Gulfstream added that the framework maintains continuity across all existing agreements, minimizing disruption while reinforcing collaboration around key industry initiatives for the next three years. "This proposal is grounded in good-faith collaboration with the FHBPA and an understanding that together we must work toward a new model for racing in Florida that is operationally sound, financially responsible, and aligned with the long-term interests of racing in the state," Butler said.