Alabama Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association
The Alabama Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (AHBPA) is a non-profit organization created to represent Alabama horse trainers and owners as stipulated by the federal Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, which limits simulcast pari-mutuel betting to facilities that contract with such groups in each state.
The Alabama group was organized along with the Birmingham Turf Club in 1987, and has collected a percentage of simulcast wagering through the track's 1988 bankruptcy, its re-opening by Delaware North, its second bankruptcy and another re-opening by Milton McGregor, who alternated horse races with greyhound races at the track.
After McGregor abandoned live horse racing in 1995, he suspended payments of simulcast proceeds to the Benevolent and Protective Association. Similar groups in other states, including Kentucky, pulled out of agreements to allow the track to simulcast races from tracks they contracted with. McGregor filed an anti-trust suit against the organizations, but agreed to a settlement guaranteeing the AHBPA a payment of $125,000 per year to secure simulcast rights.
The Association ostensibly used that money to fund purses for out-of-state races involving Alabama-bred and trained horses, such as the Alabama Derby which is run at the Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino in Vinton, Louisiana and to promote the return of live horse racing in Alabama. Some members allege, however, that Association president Skip Drinkard misused the funds for personal shopping and travel and to reward friends and associates. Those members filed a lawsuit which was later amended to allege that Drinkard, who had become president in 1994 and managed to suspend new elections until 2006, rigged the 2006 election, throwing out votes from his detractors. The suit was appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court, which ruled against Drinkard in August 2009 and ordered a new election.
David Harrington, a racehorse owner and veterinarian, was one of those who filed the lawsuit. He became president as the new leadership sought to more effectively represent owners and trainers, and speed up progress toward the return of live racing in Alabama. Many of the organizations' records were lost in a 2010 fire at Drinkard's farm in Hartselle, which also killed 10 horses.
In 2011 Drinkard and attorney Mike Wallace founded a rival Alabama Racing Thoroughbreds Inc. with goals similar to the AHBPA's.
According to statistics from The Jockey Club, Alabama thoroughbred breeding peaked in 1991 with 125 foals, dropping to 91 in 1995, and to 57 in 2000. By 2010 the state only had 45 registered foals in total.
References
- Diel, Stan (August 25, 2009) "Group that controls part of Birmingham Race Course off-track betting money must hold new officer election, Alabama Supreme Court rules." The Birmingham News
- LaMarra, Tom (June 14, 2012) "Alabama HBPA Fight for Live Racing Not Easy." Bloodhorse