A bill in the state Legislature could jeopardize horse racing in Florida. 

This Op-Ed appeared in the April 14 issue of the Tampa Bay Times

Imagine a 5-year-old girl with a great passion for thoroughbred horses. A passion that defined every moment of this girl’s life. Sleeping fully clothed for nights on end, waiting for her parents to wake her up for the birth of another new foal and to witness the miracle of life firsthand. A passion that drove this little girl to find herself at the training barn before the light of day and before the lights were on, soon to be found in a stall on the back of a gentle thoroughbred. As this little girl grew, she graduated from her Shetland pony to Big Whippendeal, the winner of the Illinois Derby — before she ever had a single riding lesson.

My dad, George Steinbrenner, founded Kinsman Farm with thoroughbred breeding and racing in mind. It is not a secret that he loved competition, but many don’t know that his passion for thoroughbreds reached far beyond race day. He wanted to share every moment at the farm with his family. He found great joy in watching his horses develop from foals into athletes on Florida soil in the Florida climate, which allowed many of his horses to become champions. He taught me to watch them in their fields to see how they moved along with their paddock mates and spent time with my older brother analyzing which stallions were suited for his mares.

My dad loved going to the races in Miami and Tampa, as well as in New York. It meant just as much to him when one of his horses won as when his New York Yankees won. My family has been a part of the thoroughbred industry for 55 years, having raised, trained, bred and retired thoroughbreds. We have employed hundreds, if not thousands, of horsemen and women, providing careers for people who proudly made it their life’s work to care for these majestic athletes through the brutal summer heat and inclement weather. My son now has a racing stable, continuing our family tradition as a third-generation Kinsman. My entire family still regards Kinsman Farm as the place where our memories come alive.

But now, the rich history of Florida thoroughbreds is at risk. The decoupling of horse racing from gaming, under consideration in the Florida Legislature, would rip apart the very foundation of this industry. It will affect farms big and small across the state. It will affect the feed and hay companies, the sales companies, the veterinarians, farriers, dentists and vanning companies that carry these racehorses throughout Florida and the rest of the country. Anyone who has traveled Interstate 75 through Ocala can see the greeting, “Welcome to the Horse Capital of the World®.”

Countless owners across the state and from the north send their young horses to farms in Ocala to train them to be racehorses. The decoupling of horse racing from gaming would be far-reaching and affect all horse people.

Imagine now a 4-year-old boy who is a fourth-generation Kinsman. He talks about racehorses and the farm with the same passion as I had as a 5-year-old. His bedroom is set up as Kinsman Farm with his toy horses to match each one of our racehorses. He is quick to show everyone his little photo album of all our horses and knows their names and facts. I can not imagine a more innocent love.

Florida simply must preserve our beloved industry for the children who dream of working with thoroughbreds and for the opportunities for our future generations.

Jessica Steinbrenner is a thoroughbred breeder-owner and long-time contender in races at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park. She is president of Kinsman Farm, a 750-acre family-owned thoroughbred farm in Ocala, and a member of The Jockey Club.

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