BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1992
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1992 (Portantino) - As Amended: March 24, 2010
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 21 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to
establish safety standards governing the uniformity and content
of a race track base and racing service, regardless of whether
the track is synthetic or dirt. In addition, CHRB must
establish standards regarding the maintenance of the racing
surface.
FISCAL EFFECT
Costs associated with this legislation would be minor and
absorbable within existing CHRB resources.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The intent of this bill is to require CHRB to
update its regulations to reflect their 2006 requirement that
the main thoroughbred racetracks in California replace their
dirt tracks with synthetic tracks. Given the difficulty some
tracks have had with the new synthetic tracks, the author
feels that it is important that the CHRB review the impact of
these new surfaces and establish regulatory requirements
regarding the maintenance of these tracks.
2)Synthetic Race Tracks . In 2006, the CHRB announced the
requirement that all of the main thoroughbred tracks in
California convert their tracks to synthetic surfaces by
January 1, 2008. Hollywood Park converted in 2006 to a Cushion
Track, Del Mar converted to a Polytrack in 2007, and Golden
Gate Fields converted to Tapeta Footings the same year. As
discussed below, Santa Anita initially converted their track
AB 1992
Page 2
in 2007 and then changed the surface in 2008.
Synthetic tracks are a mixture of sand, rubber and synthetic
fibers. They contain wax or polymer-based binders to cushion
and bind the materials. Manufacturers of synthetic racetrack
surface materials promote the fact that synthetic tracks have
drainage attributes that are better than natural surfaces,
which theoretically allows the horses to run faster,
regardless of the weather conditions. In addition, synthetic
tracks were thought to be safer for horses, preventing deaths
and major injuries.
Despite some statistics that show there have been fewer
fatalities during races, there is no consensus among owners
and trainers that the switch to the synthetic surface has made
any difference in preventing the deaths of thoroughbreds. In
fact, medical research has shown an increase in soft-tissue
injuries, and this summer Del Mar had more deaths than usual
during training.
3)Santa Anita Park's Synthetic Track . Relative to other
California tracks, the transition to synthetic surfaces has
been the most problematic for Santa Anita. Initially, Santa
Anita selected and installed a Cushion Track surface in 2007.
However, the Cushion Track system proved to be less than
ideal. In 2008, the track lost 11 racing dates due to a
drainage problem associated with the new track. Because of
the problems, the owners of Santa Anita decided to replace the
Cushion Track system with a Pro-Ride track.
Despite the change to the new synthetic surface, Santa Anita
continues to be plagued by drainage problems. Several race
days have already been lost this year. Due to these problems,
Santa Anita announced that it would remove its synthetic
surface at the end of the meet and that they were considering
a return to the dirt track surface.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081