Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission (PHRC) at its July 30 meeting approved the allotments for the more than $1.8 million available to stakeholders for marketing programs in fiscal 2024-25.
The funding comes from 1 percent of gross terminal revenue from slot machines as part of the Race Horse Industry Reform Act of 2016. Most of the money goes to the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association for a statewide marketing program and to the six organizations that comprise the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition.
The following will be taken off the top: $100,000 in financial support to fairs that offer Standardbred racing, $20,000 to the PHRC for supplemental funding, and $50,000 for an economic study on the racing and breeding industry in the state.
The majority of the allotments are based on an established formula based on local slots revenue. The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association — whose members are the six horsepeople’s and breeders’ associations that make up the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition — receives 50 percent, while the other 50 percent goes to the coalition members. The following are the rounded numbers for each organization.
On the Standardbred side, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association was approved for $114,600; the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association received $186,700 ($112,300 for Mohegan Pennsylvania at Pocono Downs and $74,300 for Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack); and $60,200 for the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania. On the Thoroughbred side, the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (Parx Racing) was approved for $259,000, followed by the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and Presque Isle Downs & Casino) and the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association at $80,800.
The PHRA, which oversees statewide marketing of racing and breeding and offers on-site support to horsepeople, breeders and racetracks, was approved for $846,800.
In other business, Scott Lishia, director of racing at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, reported that the July 27 Adios program generated just under $1.3 million in total pari-mutuel handle, the fourth-largest wagering figure for Meadows racing since at least 2009.