Florida’s decoupling legislation, which would eliminate the requirement for Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs to run a minimum number of live Thoroughbred races in order to operate their casino and card room, is pending in the Senate after a first reading in the House of Representatives. The bill was initiated by The Stronach Group (TSG), which owns Gulfstream Park, but 92-year-old Frank Stronach, the founder of TSG, has publicly opposed decoupling, stating that it would end horse racing in Florida.

Belinda Stronach, the chairman, chief executive, and president of TSG, is leading the company founded by her father, Frank Stronach. Frank Stronach, who has received numerous awards for his contributions to the Thoroughbred industry, expressed his opposition to decoupling in a letter to the editor, emphasizing the economic impacts and potential loss to rural and agricultural areas in Florida that rely on horse racing.

The Stronach family has a long history in the racing industry, with Frank Stronach’s commercial success as an auto-parts magnate leading to investments in Thoroughbred racing. The family faced internal disputes and lawsuits, resulting in Belinda Stronach retaining control of TSG’s racing, gaming, and real estate assets, while Frank Stronach took ownership of the family’s breeding business. TSG has warned that without the ability to decouple, racing at Gulfstream Park may not continue beyond 2028.