BILL ANALYSIS
Bill No: AB
2201
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 2201 Author: Coto
As Amended: April 15, 2010
Hearing Date: June 29, 2010
Consultant: Art Terzakis
SUBJECT
Horse Racing: harness racing: the Cane Pace
DESCRIPTION
AB 2201 authorizes the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB)
to permit a California harness racing association to accept
wagers on the full card of races conducted by another
racing association on the date of the "Cane Pace."
EXISTING LAW
Existing law grants the CHRB the authority to regulate the
various forms of horse racing authorized in
this state.
Existing law authorizes a licensed harness racing
association that is conducting a live racing meeting in
this state to accept wagers on the full card of races
conducted by another racing association on the day that
other association conducts the Breeder's Crown Stakes, the
Meadowlands Pace, Kentucky Futurity the Hambletonian, or
the North American Cup.
Existing law authorizes a licensed quarter horse racing
association that is conducting a live racing meeting in
this state to accept wagers on races conducted by the
racing association that conducts the American Quarter Horse
Racing Challenge, if the races are conducted on the same
day as the American Quarter Horse Racing Challenge.
AB 2201 (Coto) continued
Page 2
Existing law authorizes the inclusion of wagers authorized
pursuant to this section in the pari-mutuel pools of the
out-of-state association that conducts the races on which
the wagers are placed.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of AB 2201: This measure will allow a harness
racing association in California to import all of the races
conducted on Cane Pace day, irrespective of the six-race
day limit. The Cane Pace is a harness horse race run
annually since 1955. In 1956 the race joined with the
Little Brown Jug and the Messenger Stakes to become the
first leg in the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.
Since 1998, the race has been held at the Freehold Raceway
in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. Established in 1853,
Freehold Raceway is the oldest half-mile racetrack in the
United States. AB 2201 is intended to provide the
California harness racing industry a marketing tool to
increase on-track and off-track attendance on this specific
day. This measure is also intended to provide the industry
with a mechanism to increase track commissions, purses, and
breeder's awards.
Harness Racing: Harness racing is a form of horse-racing
in which standardbred horses race in a specified gait,
either trotting or a faster gait called pacing. The driver
sits in a two-wheeled cart pulled by the horse. In
California, harness racing is held exclusively at Cal Expo
in Sacramento. For 2010, the harness racing meets are
scheduled from December 26, 2009 to June 19, 2010 and from
August 13, 2010 to December 18, 2010.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 136 (Silva) Chapter 221, Statutes of 2009. Provided
for the northern California harness racing industry relief
from the limitation on the number of harness races that may
be imported into California annually for satellite
simulcast while retaining the per-day restriction.
SB 1635 (Negrete McLeod) 2007-08 Session. Would have
lifted the cap on the number of races that can be imported
into California for satellite wagering purposes from 23 to
40 per day. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 2201 (Coto) continued
Page 3
AB 2048 (Silva) Chapter 439, Statutes of 2008. Among other
things, allowed harness and quarter horse racing
associations and fairs to offer wagering on eight harness
or quarter horse races broadcast by satellite on each day
live races are run.
AB 3074 (Government Organization) Chapter 510, Statutes of
2008. Among other things, authorized the CHRB to allow
harness racing tracks to accept wagers during the Kentucky
Futurity. Also, increased from 23 to 32 the total number
of thoroughbred races that may be imported statewide for
satellite wagering by associations or fairs and deleted the
statewide limitation on satellite wagering at the total
number of thoroughbred races on which wagers were accepted
in 1998.
SB 379 (Denham) Chapter 443, Statutes of 2007. Added the
"Dubai World Cup" to a specified day of races that would be
exempted from the 23-race day limit on imported races for
satellite wagering.
AB 241 (Price) Chapter 594, Statutes of 2007. Among other
things, authorized all fairs to operate a satellite
wagering facility off of the fair grounds. In addition,
authorized the establishment of up to 45 "mini-satellite"
wagering sites to be operated by private industry
throughout the state.
AB 1736 (Governmental Organization) Chapter 444, Statutes
of 2007. Added the "Travers Stakes" to a specified day of
races that would be exempted from the 23-race day limit on
imported races for satellite wagering.
AB 509 (Jerome Horton) Chapter 235, Statutes of 2004.
Allowed a thoroughbred racing association or fair to import
the audiovisual signal, and accept wagers on, the results
of out-of-country thoroughbred races.
SB 1183 (Margett) Chapter 232, Statutes of 2004 . Provided
Harness and Quarter Horse racing parity with the
Thoroughbreds by authorizing them to import the full cards
of races held by the association hosting the Breeder's
Crown Stakes, the Meadowlands Pace, the Hambletonian, or
the North American Cup on the days that those races are
being run.
AB 2201 (Coto) continued
Page 4
SB 27 (Maddy) Chapter 335, Statutes of 1998. Among other
things, authorized wagering on the results of out-of-state
thoroughbred races provided that the total number accepted
statewide in any given year does not exceed the total
number of thoroughbred races on which wagers were accepted
in 1998. Also, capped the total number of thoroughbred
races imported at 23 per day.
SUPPORT: California Harness Horsemen
OPPOSE: None on file as of June 25, 2010.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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