BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 558 Hearing Date: 2/23/2016
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|Author: |Low |
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|Version: |2/10/2016 |
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|Urgency: |Yes |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Arthur Terzakis |
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SUBJECT: Horse racing: nonthoroughbred races
DIGEST: This bill provides that the California Horse Racing
Board (CHRB) may authorize a racing association licensed to
conduct a thoroughbred racing meet to include up to six
nonthoroughbred races per calendar year pursuant to specified
conditions.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Provides that the CHRB shall regulate the various forms of
horse racing authorized in this state.
2)Requires that any license granted to an association other than
a fair is only for one type of racing, thoroughbred, harness,
or quarter horse racing, as the case may be, except that the
CHRB may authorize the entering of thoroughbred and Appaloosa
horses in quarter horse races at a distance not exceeding 5
furlongs at quarter horse meetings, mixed breed meetings, and
fair meetings under specified conditions.
3)Provides that the CHRB may authorize mixed breed racing that
sanctions, among other things, either an association to
conduct a quarter horse meeting to include Appaloosa races and
Arabian races with the consent of the quarter horse horsemen's
organization or a race between a quarter horse and a
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thoroughbred horse at a thoroughbred meeting with the consent
of the thoroughbred horsemen's organization, if each contracts
with the association with respect to the conduct of the racing
meeting.
This bill:
1)Provides that the CHRB may authorize a licensed thoroughbred
racing association to conduct up to six nonthoroughbred races
per calendar year with the consent of the organization
representing thoroughbred horsemen and horsewomen.
2)Makes it explicit that a nonthoroughbred race shall not be
held when a fair in the northern zone is conducting a race
meet without that fair's consent.
3)Requires amounts from those wagers to be deducted and
distributed as if the wagers were placed on a thoroughbred
race.
4)Makes minor code maintenance changes, as specified.
5)Contains an urgency clause, to take effect immediately.
Background
Purpose of AB 558. Current law provides for many different
types of horse racing, including flat racing, jump racing,
harness racing, and endurance racing. Each type of racing has
different breeds that excel in a specific type of race and
generally, entry in such races is restricted to certain breeds.
The author's office states "that Arabian horses are widely known
for being the oldest purebred horse in the world and were
originally bred for war. Today the Arabian horse is primarily
used in endurance flat racing. On tracks around the world,
these swift and magnificent purebred Arabians are capturing the
attention and imagination of a large and growing racing public."
The author's office also notes that there are over 653,000
purebred Arabian horses in the United States with five states
offering limited Arabian horse racing. Specifically, the
author's office references Churchill Downs and Keeneland (both
of which are in Kentucky) and Pimlico Racecourse in Maryland
which host grade I Arabian events as part of major race
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programs.
The author's office points out that racing in California was
legalized via a constitutional amendment in 1933 and since that
time thoroughbred and quarter horses have been allowed to race
in virtually all flat races offered in the state while Arabians
have been restricted to race dates at fairs. This bill is
intended to permit racing associations that conduct thoroughbred
races to organize a limited number of races per year for other
breeds, such as Arabian horses. Additionally, the author's
office contends that this bill contains an urgency clause to
help facilitate a tentative promotional and marketing agreement
that the Los Angeles Turf Club has reached with Arabian horse
racing interests to showcase Arabian horses over the Santa Anita
Derby weekend (April 9 & 10).
Staff comments. As currently drafted, this bill empowers the
CHRB to authorize a racing association that conducts a
thoroughbred racing meet to include up to six nonthoroughbred
races per calendar year pursuant to specified conditions. A
nonthoroughbred could include, Arabian, quarter horse,
Appaloosa, harness, etc. If the purpose of this bill is to
promote Arabian horses at race meets in California the author
may wish to define "nonthoroughbred" to mean Arabian.
Prior/Related Legislation
SB 819 (Committee on Governmental Organization, Chapter 438,
Statutes of 2013) among other things, provided that the CHRB may
authorize pari-mutuel wagering on Breeders' Cup races to be run
at the host venue and on one nonthoroughbred race, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: Yes Local: Yes
SUPPORT:
Los Angeles Turf Club (Source)
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association
Golden Gate Fields
Thoroughbred Owners of California
OPPOSITION:
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None received