Over the past few months, there has been much anxiety in the Thoroughbred racing community about legislation working its way through Tallahassee that would strip Florida’s racing permit-holders of their obligation to host live races, turning them into nothing more than gaming facilities.

Those fortunate enough to work in this industry understand that it’s a partnership, a bond, a tradition – a vital part of what has defined us, and this state, for generations.

The proposed legislation, HB 105/SB 408, is being touted as a solution to “save” Florida Thoroughbreds. As a top trainer at Gulfstream Park, I’m here to tell you Florida racing is alive and well – but this bill could kill it.

Our $3.24 billion racing industry speaks to the way Florida-bred horses consistently appear in winners’ circles across the nation. Florida racing brings in tourists and it draws talent, with as much as 75% of all juvenile Thoroughbreds training right here in the Sunshine State. Countless visitors attend Gulfstream Park for the Florida Derby, a key race to identify contenders amongst the dreamers in the chase for a spot in the prestigious Kentucky Derby starting gate.

These numbers illustrate Florida racing’s economic significance, but they fail to capture the true essence of what this industry means to those of us who dedicate our lives to it.

My passion for racing is about the life I’ve built alongside these extraordinary animals and the community that surrounds them. A single horse’s journey involves a dedicated team of grooms, blacksmiths, veterinarians, riders and countless others who nurture, train, and care for them. Every day, we rise early to feed, tack, and train before sunup and finish with sunsetting cool-outs, feed, and night checks – all in the pursuit of shared triumph at the finish line on Saturday. We put our hearts into these horses, and in return they teach us resilience, trust, and the deepest forms of loyalty.

To me, a horse isn’t just an athlete on a track; a horse is a best friend. There’s that indescribable bond you’ve nurtured, and the mutual trust earned. They rely on you just as much as you rely on them, and we have each other’s back throughout. And when you’ve earned that trust, that’s a loyalty that can’t be matched.

That’s why it’s impossible to swallow this bill, which is being pushed under the dual falsehood of “reform” and “industry supported.” HB 105 casts racing aside in favor of slot machines and card rooms, replacing the beauty of live racing with the cold, impersonal world of gaming machines. This bill threatens an entire industry that has long been a feather in Florida’s cap, and it undercuts years of hard work by so many of us who have dedicated our lives to these majestic animals. It’s going to hurt people like me and my family, for whom the horse is lifestyle, passion, and, finally, a way to make a living.

Decoupling — severing gaming from live horse racing venues — undermines our commitment to these animals and the entire industry. This bill is an insult to everything we stand for. The future of Florida racing is on the line. Let’s stand together to protect it.

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Saffie Joseph Jr. is a prominent trainer at Gulfstream Park, where he has trained multiple stakes-winning Thoroughbreds and remains a passionate advocate for the future of Florida horse racing.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis is happy with his automobile insurance.

After the State of the State address, DeSantis said the state of his car coverage from USAA couldn’t be better.

Noting that he talked to “some of the guys” from the company at last year’s Army-Navy Football Game, DeSantis said that he and First Lady Casey DeSantis had been “USAA members for a long time.”

“The First lady lost a car years ago in a storm. We literally put in the claim. Some guy shows up 48 hours later and just cuts us a check and I’d never seen anything like it and I always remind them,” DeSantis said. “I was like, ‘I’ll be a customer for life because you guys didn’t play games.’ So I have confidence in USAA just as a veteran and having done that.”

In addition to giving his own insurance company a vote of confidence, DeSantis also discussed car coverage rates writ large.

He noted they went up “20-22% in 2024,” which he said USAA told him was because of the cost of car parts these days.

“Basically they said, ‘Well, cars are more like computers now. Used to be you have a car, you know how to fix a bumper. Now there’s sensors, there’s all these things,’” DeSantis recounted. “And so when there’s accidents, the cost of fixing that just gets higher and so it drives rates up. Then you have overall inflation.”

Additionally, DeSantis suggested Floridians’ behavior behind the wheel were also a factor driving up premiums.

“We have challenges with how the culture of driving is. I was telling people when we had the snowstorm. Now, North Florida may be a little bit better than South Florida for driving, but I was afraid everyone’s going to be peeling out on this ice and stuff. And we were plowing it. And I think it ended up working out okay. But you have that situation,” DeSantis said.

In spite of bad driving in the state, DeSantis noted that some auto insurers have lowered their rates.

He credits that to “litigation reform and legal reform” that have brought “more stability, more predictability” to a once troubled market.

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