By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — With weeks to go before the start of Arizona’s horse racing season, industry leaders say basic operational positions at Turf Paradise remain unfilled.
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“Number one, there’s no general manager. Number two, there is no track vet. Number three, there is no track super — the maintenance of the track supervisor. As of yesterday, there was no concessionaire,” said Leroy Gessmann, executive director of the Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.
This week, the Arizona Racing Commission pressed for answers on whether Turf Paradise is ready for the season. State gaming officials laid out their concerns, pointing to a string of key leaders walking away from the track just weeks before opening day.
“The department has major concerns whether the race meet can continue currently as planned,” said Juan Estrada, assistant director of the Arizona Department of Gaming.
Track operator responds to commission
The commission also pressed track leaders directly, hearing from Gary Hartunian, who oversees operations at Turf Paradise. Commissioners zeroed in on the sudden shake-up at the top.
“The place has never been better,” said Gary Hartunian, majority owner of Skyfall 7, which operates the track.
Hartunian downplayed the shake-up, saying employees left over differences in direction and that they are easily replaced.
“If somebody wants to quit, they can quit. And we’ll … hire somebody else for the position,” Hartunian said.
Exchange with commission chair
Tensions boiled over as Hartunian dismissed the fallout as overblown, blaming what he called “negativity” on disgruntled former employees. At one point, he accused the commission chair of making light of the situation.
“Why are you like laughing about this? It’s like, it’s so horrendous,” Hartunian said.
“Well, Mr. Hartunian, if I’ve done anything to indicate to you that I’m laughing,” said James Padish, Racing Commissioner chair.
“No, but you kind of got a chuckle,” Hartunian responded.
General manager resignation came as surprise
One of the departures did seem to take Hartunian by surprise. The general manager, recently appointed, resigned shortly before the meeting began.
“When I left the office at 5:00, he was on his way,” Hartunian said. “He was going to be at this meeting today and, and report back to me. So if he resigned, that, that’s news to me.”
Horsemen’s association raises concerns about missing funds
While Hartunian continued to reassure the commissioners that operations are ready for race day, a representative from the Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association later joined the meeting to voice concerns about missing funds.
“Mr. Hartunian has put $360,000 of it back. But we, as of this morning, are still owed $182,000. We are working with our attorney to try and get that returned,” Gessmann said.
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There were also concerns that news of the shake-ups would keep racers away from Arizona. Track leaders remain confident operations are ready, saying they can provide weekly updates to the commission if needed. Live racing begins in November.
A Turf Parade spokesperson sent the following statement to Arizona’s Family, assuring that it is working hard to get ready for racing.
Everyone who remains at Turf Paradise is working together to move forward and ensure we are prepared for the upcoming race meet. We understand the responsibility we have to our horsemen, employees, racing partners, and the community, and we are committed to doing everything necessary to keep moving in the right direction.
We are actively working with HISA to ensure all applicable rules and regulations are being followed. I have also met with the HBPA to address outstanding financial matters, confirm that accounts have been settled, and establish a path forward.
The funds owed to the HBPA were held at the HBPA’s request while they worked to establish their new bank account. Once we received the request to release the funds, the outstanding balance was transferred in two separate payments over the course of two weeks, with the final payment sent today. All accounts with the HBPA have now been settled.
We recognize the seriousness of the concerns surrounding this situation and understand the importance of ensuring that funds are handled appropriately and transparently. While money moves constantly in the operation of a business, we understand that proper procedures and communication are essential. We are working to implement stronger internal systems, clearer communication, and additional safeguards to help ensure this does not happen again. Accountability and rebuilding trust are essential to moving forward.
We also have meetings scheduled to address licensing requirements for key members of the racetrack’s office staff, as well as the track superintendent. These matters are actively being addressed, and we are working diligently to ensure the necessary requirements are met.
The people who remain at Turf Paradise are putting in the time and effort to make this race meet happen. We understand that the livelihoods of many families depend on this track, and we cannot lose sight of the horsemen, employees, and everyone else who depends on its continued operation.
This is an all-hands-on-deck effort. We must work together, address the challenges in front of us, and focus on solutions rather than allowing these circumstances to prevent us from moving forward.
I am committed to doing whatever it takes to help restore Turf Paradise to where it needs to be—for our staff, our horsemen, and everyone who depends on this track. We have work to do, and we are doing that work every day. Our focus is on accountability, progress, and preparing for the race meet ahead.
We ask everyone involved to stand together during this time, because the future of Turf Paradise affects far more than the racetrack itself. It affects families, businesses, and livelihoods throughout our racing community. We are here, we are working, and we are committed to moving forward together.
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