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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing the Texas Derby. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's |
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Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Article 9A to read as |
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follows: |
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ARTICLE 9A. TEXAS DERBY |
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Sec. 9A.001. TEXAS DERBY. (a) The commission shall |
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establish the Texas Derby as an annual grade 1 stakes race of |
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Texas-bred Thoroughbred and quarter horses in this state. |
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(b) The commission shall set the date of and the location |
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for the Texas Derby. The Texas Derby must be held annually at the |
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class 1 racetrack determined by the commission. The commission |
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shall determine the location of the Texas Derby by conducting a |
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blind drawing of the names of each class 1 racetrack in this state |
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to establish an annual rotation for the location. |
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(c) The date of the initial Texas Derby may not be earlier |
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than January 1, 2015. Not later than January 1, 2015, the |
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commission shall establish the annual rotation required under |
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Subsection (b) of this section. This subsection expires January 1, |
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2016. |
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Sec. 9A.002. QUALIFYING RACES. (a) The commission shall |
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establish two annual races of Texas-bred Thoroughbred and quarter |
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horses to qualify horses for entry into the Texas Derby. |
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(b) The commission shall determine for each qualifying |
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race: |
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(1) the date on which the race will be conducted, |
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provided the date is not the date on which another qualifying race |
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will be conducted; and |
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(2) the class 1 racetrack where the qualifying race |
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will be conducted, provided that: |
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(A) the race is not conducted at a racetrack |
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where another qualifying race will be conducted that year; and |
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(B) the racetrack is in a county with a |
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population of at least two million or adjacent to a county with a |
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population of at least two million. |
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(b-1) The date of a qualifying race for the initial Texas |
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Derby may not be earlier than January 1, 2014. This subsection |
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expires January 1, 2015. |
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(c) A horse is not eligible to run in a qualifying race or |
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the Texas Derby unless the horse: |
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(1) is a Texas-bred Thoroughbred or quarter horse; and |
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(2) is not more than three years of age. |
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(d) A horse that finishes first, second, or third in a race |
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under this section qualifies to run in the Texas Derby race |
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established under Section 9A.001 of this Act. |
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Sec. 9A.003. INSPECTION AND EXAMINATION OF HORSE. (a) For |
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each qualifying race conducted under Section 9A.002 of this Act and |
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for the Texas Derby, the commission shall appoint a veterinarian to |
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supervise the inspection and examination of each horse entered in |
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the race to determine whether the horse is qualified to participate |
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in the race. |
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(b) The commission, in consultation with veterinarians, |
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shall by rule establish a list of documentation that must be |
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presented for each year to the veterinarian appointed under |
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Subsection (a) of this section to demonstrate that the horse is |
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qualified to run in the race. |
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Sec. 9A.004. TEXAS DERBY PURSE FUND. (a) The commission |
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shall establish a Texas Derby purse fund. |
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(b) The commission shall annually contribute $3 million to |
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the Texas Derby purse fund from money allocated and available to the |
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commission for any purpose, including money specifically dedicated |
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to purse funds. |
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(c) A horse racing association conducting the Texas Derby or |
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a qualifying race under Section 9A.002 of this Act shall: |
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(1) collect an entry fee from each owner of a horse |
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entered in the race; and |
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(2) remit to the commission a portion of the collected |
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fees in the amount determined by the commission as sufficient to |
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ensure that the purse for the Texas Derby is at least $5 million, |
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including the amount contributed by the commission. |
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(d) The commission shall adopt rules for accounting, audit, |
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and distribution of money from the Texas Derby purse fund to winners |
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of the race. |
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SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 9A.004, Texas Racing Act |
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(Article 179e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by this |
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Act, the Texas Racing Commission may not contribute any money to the |
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Texas Derby purse fund before January 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |