Horse racing: thoroughbred races.

Existing 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, as specified, without the consent of the organization that represents horsemen 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, as specified, from exceeding 32 per day on days when live thoroughbred or fair racing is being conducted in the state. Certain well-known races are excluded from this limitation, including the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. This bill would increase that limit on the total number of races from 32 to 50. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.