Dear Owners and Trainers,
We want to provide you with an update on the ongoing contract
negotiations with Woodbine. As you know, we began efforts to sit
down with Woodbine in the summer, but they did not engage in
discussions until late fall. Our hope was to reach a signed agreement
before the end of the meet, but unfortunately, that did not happen.
Before the end of the meet, we presented Woodbine with a proposal
that included a substantial purse increase and no reduction in racing
days for the duration of the new contract. This proposal was based on
several key factors: the fact that purses have not been increased in
several years, the significant rise in inflation since the last contract two
years ago, and the critical need for both purse increases and
maintained racing days to ensure our survival and ability to continue
racing at Woodbine. We also emphasized that horsemen are essential
to the future of racing and that investing in us is just as important or
more than investing in other projects to secure the industry’s long-
term success.
Woodbine’s initial response was disappointing. Their offer included
minimal purse increases and a significant reduction of days. We held
firm to our original proposal, and they countered by adding back one
racing day but still fell well short on purse increases. In an effort to
move negotiations forward, we proposed a compromise: a lower
purse increase than our initial request but did not agree to any
reduction in racing days. Earlier this week we received Woodbine’s
negotiation response. While there was a minimal increase in offer it
does not appear that they are willing to make meaningful concessions
that align with what we truly need.
We remain committed to fighting for a fair agreement that supports
the sustainability of horsemen and the future of racing at Woodbine.
Your patience and support during this process is greatly appreciated,
and we will continue to keep you updated as negotiations progress.
Thank you for continuing to be united and standing with us.
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