BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 721
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 12, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 721 (Padilla) - As Amended: June 9, 2014
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 16-0
Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes to the Horse Racing Law:
1)Authorizes the Los Angeles County Fair, subject to approval
from the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), to conduct live
races at another licensed thoroughbred racing facility in Los
Angeles County or the southern zone (which includes Orange
County), and allows the fair to contract for the operation and
management of those races.
2)Clarifies that the CHRB may not allocate racing dates to a
thoroughbred racing association in the central or southern
zones if a fair racing association is conducting racing in
either zone on the same dates.
3)Expands the definition of "propositional parimutuel pool,"
which relates to the total propositional wagering (i.e.,
wagering on events other than the outcome of the race), to
include thoroughbred racing in addition to quarter horse and
harness racing.
4)Makes other technical changes and deletes obsolete references.
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor and absorbable costs to CHRB.
COMMENTS
1) Purpose. This bill would allow the Los Angeles County Fair to
conduct race meets at the Los Alamitos Race Course in Orange
SB 721
Page 2
County. The fair contends the racing facilities at Fairplex
in Pomona are in poor condition, while the expanded and
renovated facilities at Los Alamitos provide a more desirable
venue for thoroughbred racing and training. The fair argues
holding future races at Los Alamitos will help preserve horse
racing jobs and ensure live horse racing remains economically
viable in Southern California.
The author also notes that expanding propositional wagering to
include thoroughbred races may help increase public awareness
of special events, such as the Breeders' Cup, Kentucky Derby,
and the other Triple Crown races.
2) Los Angeles County Fair and Los Alamitos. For more than 70
years, Fairplex has been the horse racing facility for the
fair. In April 2014, the fair announced its intention to
transfer its 2014 live racing dates, contingent upon CHRB
approval, to Los Alamitos. This bill will allow the CHRB to
grant approval to the fair to run an 11-day meet in 2014 from
September 5-21 at Los Alamitos.
Los Alamitos was granted thoroughbred dates in 2014 as part of
the racing industry's response to the closure of Hollywood
Park. Other dates previously held by Hollywood Park were
awarded to Del Mar and Santa Anita. The track was previously
approved for five weeks of racing - two weeks in July and
three weeks in December. The additional dates transferred
from the Los Angeles County Fair would be bring the total to
eight weeks of live horse racing at Los Alamitos in 2014.
In anticipation of the additional racing following the
Hollywood Park closure, Los Alamitos expanded its main oval
from five furlongs to nearly a mile and is making grandstand
renovations for its races in July. The track is also in the
process of adding stalls on the backstretch to accommodate
additional horses. Together with temporary stalls, the
facility could host as many as 900 horses during the running
of meets.
Analysis Prepared by : Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
SB 721
Page 3