Minutes
Ohio HBPA Board Meeting
11:00 am, Friday, March 20, 2026
Ohio HBPA Main Office
Members Present: President Joe Poole Directors Susan Anderson, Bobby Cline, Linda Carrera, Christy Estvanko, Jeff Jarvis, Brian Poe, Kim Puhl, Mike Rone, Doug Shanyfelt
Members Unable to Attend: Tim Hamm, Brian Poe
Others Present: Executive Director Dave Basler
Call to Order/ Approval of Minutes:
President Poole called the meeting to order. After review Director Cline moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the January 16, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors meeting. Motion passed.
Director Estvanko moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the January 27, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors conference call. Motion passed.
Director Puhl moved and Director Estvanko seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the February 5, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors conference call. Motion passed.
Director Estvanko moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the February 16, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors conference call. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Shanyfelt seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the February 19, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors conference call. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Shanyfelt seconded a motion to grant Director Sikora an excused absence from the January 16, 2026 Ohio HBPA board of directors meeting due to a doctor’s appointment. Motion passed.
Executive Director’s Report:
The executive director updated the board on the status of several lawsuit against HISA including CDI.
President Poole moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to enter executive session to discuss a proposal from Belterra Park regarding reduction of racing dates and the operation of the track kitchen during the 2026 live racing season. Motion passed.
Director Cline moved and Director Anderson seconded a motion to leave executive session. Motion passed.
Director Puhl moved and Director Anderson seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA accept the proposed provision regarding the track kitchen with the addition of language stating that the contract between Belterra Park and Claude Frieje to operate the kitchen must be signed by April 6, 2026 and to reject the proposed racing dates reduction language. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to enter executive session to discuss issues regarding the upcoming Thistledown meet. Motion passed.
Extensive discussion was held regarding HISA, the current OHBPA contract with Thistledown and financial considerations regarding the withholding of the export signal at the 2026 Thistledown meet.
President Poole moved and Director Puhl seconded a motion to exit executive session.
Director Jarvis moved and Director Sikora seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA not take any action to opt out of HISA until after HISA’s May 22, 2026 decision regarding the use of Lasix. Should HISA enact a ban on Lasix at that time this board shall immediately opt out of HISA. Motion failed with Directors Jarvis, Sikora, Carrera and Estvanko voting yes and Director Anderson abstaining.
President Poole moved and Director Puhl seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA not grant export approvals for any site under the IHA for Thistledown in 2026. Motion failed with President Poole, Directors Cline, Puhl, Rone and Shanyfelt voting yes.
Director Jarvis moved and Director Estvanko seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA will grant export approvals for Thistledown through May 31, 2026 and should HISA vote on or before May 22, 2026 to ban lasix use for racing the Ohio HBPA will not extend any export approvals which fall under the IHA for Thistledown in 2026 beyond May 31. Motion passed with President Poole and Directors Puhl and Rone abstaining.
New Business:
Purses and Wagering
Handouts were provided to the board showing VLT results for all three thoroughbred tracks in Ohio for February 2026 as well as previous years VLT results for comparison purposes. Belterra Park showed a net win of $7,274,428 in February up over $770,000 from the $6,500,102 net win in February 2025 at the track. Thistledown had a net VLT win of $14,617,430 in February which was up over $350,000 from the prior February net win. Mahoning Valley had a net VLT win of $14,948,137 in February which was an increase of over $1,000,000 from the $13,864,427 net win at Mahoning Valley in February 2025.
Benevolence, Policies and Organization
Following discussion Directors Estvanko, Jarvis, Puhl and Shanyfelt were selected to serve as the Nominating Committee for the 2026 OHBPA board of directors election.
After review of a number of handouts provided by the executive director Director Jarvis moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to approve the 2026 OHBPA election materials as presented. Motion passed.
Budget and Finance
Following discussion President Poole moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to approve placing three full page ads in the Horsemen’s Journal at a cost of $1,800 each one of which will detail the upcoming OHBPA board election with payment to be made from the Industry Initiative Fund. Motion passed.
Director Estvanko moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to approve $100 from the Industry Initiative Fund for an ad in the 2026 Ohio Stakes Guide. Motion passed.
After extensive discussion Director Cline moved and Director Carrera seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA make a $500,000 contribution from the Industry Initiative Fund to the THHF. Motion passed with Director Jarvis voting no and Director Estvanko abstaining.
Following discussion Director Cline moved and Director Anderson seconded a motion seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA will make available from the Industry Initiative Fund up to $100,000 to any TAA accredited facilities which accept donations of horses which made their last start at one of Ohio’s three thoroughbred tracks in the past 12 months or which were stabled at an Ohio thoroughbred track at the time of donation. For each such horse the Ohio HBPA will donate to the TAA accredited facility $2,500 per horse for those which do not require surgery and $5,000 per horse for horses which have surgery set up through the TAA accredited facility to which it was donated. Motion passed.
The previous motion adjusted the amounts per horse to be donated from amounts which were previously approved by the board at the January meeting.
Discussion was held regarding the next board meeting date with the board setting Friday, May 29, 2026 as the next meeting date beginning at 11am at the Ohio HBPA main office in Grove City.
Adjournment:
President Poole moved and Director Shanyfelt seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion passed.