Has Michigan harness racing been re-incarnated?

An interview with Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association president Brett Boyd.

by John Berry

The glory days of racing in Michigan have, more or less, been erased from history.

The memories of Hazel Park and Wolverine Raceway have been buried under the limestone long ago.

Some track record holders like Scotch Valley, Vicki’s Jet and Belle Acton, well, this is about the only time you will see their great names in print from here to eternity.

Horsemen like Joe Marsh, Jr., Bob Williams, Wally McIlmurray, Harold Fisher, Bob Farrington, Ted Taylor, Irving Utter, even Charlie Goins, on occasion, to name a handful, are only fond memories of those ancient enough in age to have witnessed their greatness more than a half-century ago.

Yes, Michigan still has some fairs — more than a dozen these days — from Bad Axe and Fowlerville to Ironwood and Hastings, but the most important one to crop up in the roster was the Barry County Fair in Hastings, a very slick half-mile oval.

Hastings, without doubt, is one of the most superb “smaller” towns in America and located within a reasonable distance of four well-known cities — Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Lansing.

Hastings, by the way, has a rich history in harness racing — back over a century — a brief example being on June 24, 1893 when the chestnut mare Fedora swept three straight heats in the $200 free-for-all, the fastest heat in 2:24 1/4.

But just a few days ago, Hastings was the site of the revival of pari-mutuel racing in Michigan, or, as Brett Boyd lamented, borrowing a page from astronaut Neil Armstrong, “One small step for harness racing, one giant leap for Michigan harness racing.”

HRU scored an exclusive with Boyd and his 35-year advocacy on behalf of our grand sport and we are honored to absorb his words of wisdom for every Michigander who has been touched by the beauty, excitement, and pageantry of the standardbred horse.

First, thanks for your untiring efforts on behalf of our sport.

Boyd: “It’s been a labor of love fighting for Michigan horse racing and our families. This has been going on for 35 years and I’m honored to be serving again as the MHHA [Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association] president.”

Isn’t this, actually, your second go-around with the MHHA?

Boyd: “Yes, I stepped away from the MHHA after a 10-year stint in 2014 to try to get Jackson Harness Raceway opened with my wife, Brandy.”

Tough assignment.

Boyd: “Ultimately, we were NOT successful in getting our favorite track re-opened but we did succeed in helping our horsemen in future negotiations with Northville Downs.”

It’s not just with tracks with whom you have to negotiate, it takes some help on the legislative side of the ledger, too. Correct?

Boyd: “Yes, absolutely, and, yes, I did spearhead an effort with my local legislators to secure some tax revenue with the passage of the online gaming bill in Michigan.”

How great was that?

Boyd: “Yes, but, at the last minute, they placed a $3 million revenue cap on the tax revenue to the Ag[riculture] Equine Fund from online gaming.”

Can anything be done to, kind of, amend that?

Boyd: “Well, we are trying to get that [$3 million] cap removed and we have 16 co-sponsors to get this done.”

That is always a tough assignment; politics with two parties always getting in the way of each other.

Boyd: “I know, but I believe we have bipartisan co-sponsors on our behalf in this effort.”

But it takes two-to-tango — maybe three with casinos — and, here, in Florida, that didn’t work out too well.

Boyd: “I know, Florida was a tragedy but we have met with all 27 casinos in Michigan and have reached a tentative agreement for revenue sharing moving forward.”

Can you trust them?

Boyd: “We incorporated that agreement into our legislation and that would create over $15 million in additional revenue for our county fairs and our industry.”

So, you are optimistic that the legislation will pass?

Boyd: “We have to be optimistic. We have worked very hard to get this far and this will help restore the Michigan racing and breeding industry, as well as the fairs. By the way, the Bills — House Bills 4367 and 4347 — have passed the agriculture committee and now we wait for the rules committee. I think we have significant support in the Michigan House and Senate and we are hopeful that our Governor [Whitmer] will appreciate our efforts and what the Bills do for our fairs, participating youth, and our entire industry.”

You know that Michigan was, once, a very strong industry in agriculture.

Boyd: “Yes, back 20 years ago, in an economic study done by the legislature, this was a $1 billion industry and we are hopeful to make it a $1 billion industry again.”

So, this new pari-mutuel facility. How did Hastings get the nod here?

Boyd: “The MHHA worked hand-in-hand with Mike and John Carlo to get a new pari-mutuel facility at the Barry County Expo Center in Hastings. This was an effort to open a facility for horsemen and secure current and ongoing revenue for advanced deposit in Michigan.”

Done deal?

Boyd: “It generates about $2.5 million annually for horsemen and our programs and it was important to recognize Hastings to maintain this revenue source.”

So, you have a meeting with purse money, and “they’re off!”

Boyd: “Yes, but, this year, all of our purse money for our 20-day meet is restricted purse money for Michigan owned, bred or sold horses.”

Is that set in stone forever?

Boyd: “I don’t think so. We are hopeful that, once our legislation passes, we could, potentially, open another facility and have expanded race day opportunities for horsemen.”

Sounds like it’s been a huge mountain to climb.

Boyd: “Yes, it’s been long, tedious, and very tough, but we are hoping to offer expanded racing opportunities next year at Hastings with the ultimate passage of our legislative and we’re optimistic about the future.”

Have any ultimate goals?

Boyd: “Yes. Our ultimate goal is to build one of the best programs in the country for 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old trotters and pacers. After that, I am sure our success will lead into great things for aged horses, as well.”

Billion-dollar industry in Michigan again?

Boyd: “That’s our goal.”

May The Horse Be With You