Horse group files federal suit against Arlington International Racecourse
The association that's long represented horse owners and trainers who race at Arlington International Racecourse is suing the racetrack, the Illinois Racing Board and a rival group that's seeking to move into partnership with the track.
The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association claims in the suit, which was filed Monday in federal court in Chicago, that the three entities have unlawfully "colluded" to replace the Horsemen's Association with the Illinois Breeders and Owners Foundation.
That foundation, the lawsuit claims, "will demand less of racetracks at the bargaining table and neglect to adequately protect the interests of horsemen before the Illinois Racing Board and the Illinois legislature, to the benefit of racetracks like Arlington and to the detriment of horsemen."
The lawsuit asks the court to order Arlington to enter a contract with the ITHA for the 2016 summer season, which begins May 6, and award the association damages and legal fees.
Arlington General Manager Tony Petrillo said the track is continuing to negotiate with the ITHA and the two are near an agreement. He called the suit "a means to justify their existence."
Arlington Chairman Richard Duchossois has had a rocky relationship with Illinois Thoroughbred Horseman's Association President Mike Campbell for years, and negotiations leading up to past contracts were tense.
Losing its affiliation with Arlington would cut the ITHA off from the share of purse money it would otherwise get, the main source of funding for the organization, and significantly hinder its ability to pay lobbyists' salaries and administer welfare programs for track workers who live on the backstretch.
A 2015 report from the ITHA shows Arlington Park provided $466,164 of its $708,141 in revenue in 2015. The other $241,997 came from Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero.
Track officials contend a new partnership would lead to increased purses for Arlington racers because the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Foundation has lower overhead costs than the Illinois Thoroughbred Horseman's Association.
Petrillo said the ITHA has been offered "more money than they've received in the past."
"We had narrowed down the issues to less than a handful and we're kind of dismayed that this lawsuit had been filed," he said. "We thought we were nearing an agreement."
The ITHA declined to comment beyond what's claimed in the lawsuit.
A hearing is scheduled for today in Chicago.