California SB 844

The Horse Racing Law authorizes a thoroughbred racing association or fair to distribute the audiovisual signal and accept wagers on the results of out-of-state thoroughbred races conducted in the United States during the calendar period the association or fair is conducting a race meeting, including days on which there is no live racing being conducted by the association or fair, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen and horsewomen participating in the race meeting and without regard to the amount of purses. Existing law prohibits the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 75 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races. This bill would instead prohibit the total number of thoroughbred races imported by associations or fairs on a statewide basis under these provisions from exceeding 80 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, with the exception of prescribed races. Existing law prohibits, when the total number of thoroughbred races imported by a thoroughbred association or fair on a statewide basis is between 51 and 75 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state, a thoroughbred association or fair from accepting wagers on the above-described out-of-state races commencing after 5 p.m., Pacific standard time, without the consent of the harness and quarter horse racing association that is then conducting a live racing meeting in the County of Orange or the County of Sacramento. This bill would instead apply the above-described prohibition when the total number of thoroughbred races imported by a thoroughbred association or fair on a statewide basis is between 51 and 80 races per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state.