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Churchill Downs racetrack says it has been forced to cut purses by 20 percent because of a dispute over distribution of simulcast racing and Internet betting with two horsemen's groups.
The Kentucky horsemen want Churchill Downs to delay the purse cut for 30 days so both sides can discuss the need for it.
Marty Maline, executive director of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said they requested a meeting Friday with racetrack president Steve Sexton but have not received a response.
Sexton announced the 20 percent cut in prize money Friday morning. It is scheduled to go into effect May 14. Purses for Churchill's fall meet could be affected as well.
Maline said that if they can't arrange some kind of negotiations, the Kentucky HBPA plans a general meeting, probably Tuesday, to discuss options with trainer and owner members.
Churchill Downs racetrack says it has been forced to cut purses because of a dispute over distribution of betting income from advance-deposit wagering sites, which account for a small but growing portion of overall simulcast betting.
The Kentucky HBPA and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association have blocked the distribution of Churchill Downs' simulcast signal to those sites, including TwinSpires.com, the official Internet betting site for Churchill Downs Inc.
The horsemen want a larger percentage of the takeout from online wagers, and they have blocked those wagers pending a resolution of the dispute.
"We have been left with no option but to reduce overnight purses to offset the amount of lost handle," Sexton said in a statement. "While we are still hopeful this impasse can be resolved, we have no choice but to act now."
But Maline said Churchill's own figures from the first week of the meet, which included the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, show a drop of less than 1 percent in purse money generated, compared to the same week in 2007, even though the Internet sites could not take bets on the Oaks or Derby undercards.
"It appears to horsemen to be retaliation for our decision to request a larger portion of the ADW handle," Maline said.
He said second-week figures had not yet been released but predicted that because of heavy Pick Six and Hi Five wagering, the totals will be up over last year.
"So it's hard, based on that figure, to understand why a 20 percent decrease in purses is warranted," Maline said.
