Florida legislature passes Decoupling Bill

This afternoon the Florida legislature passed the decoupling bill in its original form. (SB 8A)

The Florida Senate stood firm on their passage of the decoupling bill. The Florida House had amended the bill Tuesday, adding Standardbred harness racing with the Thoroughbreds not to be included in decoupling. The Senate stood firm on the original bill.

The House then rediscussed their version of the bill and voted to drop the amendment and voted to agree with the Senate’s original bill.

Passage of this decoupling bill will mostly likely end pari-mutuel harness racing in the state of Florida, thus bringing an end to Pompano Park after 57 year of harness racing.

Caesar’s, which owns Pompano Park, had promised the horsemen and women that harness racing would continue for at least one more season and is keeping their word.

“There will be one more season of racing at Pompano Park,” Said Joe Morris, Vice President of Racing.

More information will be provided when available.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink