BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 1786 Hearing Date: 6/14/2016
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|Author: |Cooley |
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|Version: |2/4/2016 Introduced |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Arthur Terzakis |
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SUBJECT: Horse racing: the California Standardbred Sires Stakes
Program
DIGEST: This bill makes modest and clarifying changes to the
California Standardbred Sires Stakes Program to allow horses
bred in specified states but foaled in California to qualify for
entry to race in this state.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Provides that the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is
responsible for adopting rules and regulations for the
protection of the public and the control of horse racing and
pari-mutuel wagering, as well as enforcing all laws, rules,
and regulations dealing with horse racing and pari-mutuel
wagering.
2)Establishes the California Standardbred Sires Stakes Program
for Standardbred horses bred in California, and provides that
an offspring of a registered California Standardbred stallion
standing in California during an entire breeding season is
eligible to race in the program.
3)Requires the CHRB to set a schedule of races for the program
in accordance with specified requirements, including, among
other things, that races be scheduled by the California
AB 1786 (Cooley) Page 2 of ?
Standardbred Sires Stakes Committee, at its discretion, for
two-year-old and three-year-old trotters and two-year-old and
three-year-old pacers, as specified, and that two- and
three-year-old races be divided into colt and filly divisions.
4)Establishes the manner of dividing the purse in California
Standardbred sires stakes races, and sets forth the
percentages to be allocated for horses placing in the race
based on the number of participating starters in a race.
This bill:
1)Expands eligibility to race in the California Standardbred
Sires Stakes Program to include the offspring of a registered
Standardbred stallion standing in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Michigan, or Maine, or the Province of Alberta, Canada.
2)Makes minor changes to requirements pertaining to the
scheduling of races for trotters, as specified, and deletes
the requirement that two- and three-year-old races be divided
into colt and filly divisions.
3)Modifies the current manner of dividing the purse in
California Standardbred Sires Stakes races by providing that
the percentages shall be allocated for horses finishing in
first through fifth place, inclusive, regardless of the number
of starters in the race.
Background
The California Standardbred Sires Stakes Committee (CSSSC) was
created in 1977 to encourage agriculture and the breeding of
horses in California. In short, the CSSSC's purpose is to
provide financial incentives for the breeding and development of
Standardbred racehorses which are bred to run in harness races.
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses
race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace) pulling two-wheeled
carts called sulkies. Currently, there is one harness racing
association licensed to operate a racing meeting in California
(run at Cal-Expo).
Purpose of AB 1786. The author's office notes that in the late
19th Century, Sacramento was internationally famous for horse
breeding that took place within the boundaries of the Rancho Del
AB 1786 (Cooley) Page 3 of ?
Paso land grant located northeast of the City. Sacramento's time
as a renowned location for horse breeding has long past.
However, the names of streets, neighborhoods, and even schools
that remain to this day show evidence of the former success of
horse breeding in Sacramento.
The author's office also points out that ten years ago
Standardbreds raced over 120 days a year in California. Today,
there are only 54 race days a year which has resulted in a
drastic reduction of jobs at racetracks and breeding farms.
This bill is designed to help boost the dwindling number of
Standardbred horses available to run in harness races in this
state and encourage more owners to race their horses in
California.
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 280 (Silva, Chapter 98, Statutes of 2011) changed the
definition of a California-bred Standardbred horse by deleting
the requirement that the Standardbred foal be conceived in
California, as specified.
AB 2538 (Strickland, Chapter 278, Statutes of 2004) changed the
definition of a California-bred Standardbred horse for purposes
of the incentive awards program by deleting the requirement in
existing law that the mare drop the horse in California after
the conception.
SB 738 (Karnette, Chapter 24, Statutes of 2003) modified the
definition of a California-bred Standardbred horse for purposes
of the incentive awards program, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT:
California Harness Horseman's Association (co-source)
Golden Bear Racing (co-source)
OPPOSITION:
None received
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ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Writing in support, the California
Harness Horsemen's Association and Golden Bear Racing state, "In
the last decade, there has been a steep reduction in the number
of Standardbred foals - which are used exclusively in harness
racing - born in California. In 2004 there were 190
Standardbred foals born in California and in 2015 there were
only 15. Breeders have left California for other states that
have slot machine revenues to supplement purse pools. Under
this bill, the requirements for horses to qualify to race in
California Sires Stakes races would be modified to allow horses
bred elsewhere but foaled in California to qualify. We believe
this will create an incentive that will help revive breeding of
Standardbred horses on California farms, attract more horses to
our state, increase the horse population in California, and add
race days to our calendar."