BILL ANALYSIS
Bill No: AB
3074
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Dean Florez, Chair
2007-2008 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 3074 Author: Governmental Organization
As Introduced: March 13, 2008
Hearing Date: June 24, 2008
Consultant: Chris Lindstrom
SUBJECT
Horse racing: racing days.
DESCRIPTION
AB 3074 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 Kentucky Futurity.
EXISTING LAW
Existing law authorizes the California Horse Racing Board
(CHRB) 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, 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
AB 3074 (Governmental Organization) continued
Page 2
day as the American Quarter Horse Racing Challenge.
Existing law authorizes Thoroughbred racing associations or
fairs to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept
wagers on the results of certain out-of-state and
international Thoroughbred races during the calendar period
the association or fair is conducting live racing,
including days on which there is no live racing being
conducted by the association or fair.
Existing law limits the number of races that may be
imported by associations and fairs to no more than 23 races
per day on days when live Thoroughbred or fair racing is
being conducted in this state, with specified exceptions.
Existing law exempts from that 23-race per day limit races
imported that are part of the race card of certain
prominent races, including the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky
Oaks, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Jockey
Club Gold Cup, the Breeders' Cup, or the Haskell
Invitational.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of the bill. According to the author's office,
this bill will give the California harness racing industry
a marketing tool to increase on-track and off-track
attendance on the day that the Kentucky Futurity is run.
Further, the author's office contends that the bill will
provide the industry with a mechanism to increase track
commissions, purses, breeder's awards, and state license
fees.
Background. This bill will allow a harness racing
association in California to import all of the races
conducted on Kentucky Futurity day, irrespective of the
six-race day limit in law. The Kentucky Futurity is a
stakes race for three-year-old trotters, held annually at
The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky since 1893. It is part
of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters. It is
one of the few events in the sport that uses the
traditional format in which a horse must win two heats to
take home the trophy. Winning the Kentucky Futurity has
never been only about money, it has also been about the
prestige and tradition associated with the race.
AB 3074 (Governmental Organization) continued
Page 3
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 2048 (Silva), 2007-2008 Legislative Session . Allows a
harness and Quarter Horse racing association to import not
more than eight races on live racing days. (In this
committee on June 24, 2008)
AB 1736 (Governmental Organization), Chapter 444, Statutes
of 2007 . Adds the Travers Stakes to the group of specific
stake races which are exempt from the 23-race per day limit
on imported races, as specified.
SB 379 (Denham), Chapter 443, Statutes of 2007 . Adds the
Dubai World Cup race to a specified list of races that
would be exempted from the 23-race per day limit on
imported races for satellite wagering in California.
SB 2035 (Karnette), Chapter 268, Statutes of 2002 . Allows
a harness or Quarter Horse racing association to "bank" up
to two out-of-state or out-of-county imported races on a
specific race day, and then add those races to another race
day's importation schedule.
SB 590 (Perata), Chapter 936, Statutes of 2001 . Authorizes
Thoroughbred racing associations and fairs in the northern
racing zone to increase the number of imported racing
simulcasts available to be wagered upon if the CHRB reduces
the number of live racing days.
SB 1183 (Margett), Chapter 232, Statutes of 2004 .
Authorizes a harness racing association that is conducting
a live race meeting to accept wagers on the full card of
races conducted by another racing association on the day
the other racing association conducts the Breeder's Crown
Stakes, the Meadowlands Pace, the Hambletonian or the North
American Cup.
AB 509 (Jerome Horton), Chapter 235, Statutes of 2004 .
Allows a Thoroughbred or fair association to distribute the
audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of
out-of-country Thoroughbred races during the calendar
period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting
under specified conditions.
SUPPORT: (As of June 20, 2008)
AB 3074 (Governmental Organization) continued
Page 4
None on file.
OPPOSE: (As of June 20, 2008)
None on file.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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