Texas Tracks Prepare for Sept. 1 Shutdown

Blood-Horse

Racetracks in Texas were scrambling the evening of Aug. 31 in the wake of a legislative battle over whether to fund the Texas Racing Commission.

The tracks received a memo indicating the TRC had not received the required authorization from the Texas Legislative Budget Board to spend money beyond Aug. 31, and that the agency must cease operations, including oversight of live racing and full-card simulcasts at all Texas outlets.

As of late evening, it appeared live racing and full-card simulcasts would be suspended effective Sept. 1. Retama Park near San Antonio opened for its live Thoroughbred meet Aug. 21.

The funding of the TRC became an issue after the regulatory agency voted, by a narrow margin, not to repeal rules promulgating historical race wagering. Some anti-gambling members of the state legislature believe historical racing machines, which resemble video lottery terminals but are considered pari-mutuel by proponents, are nothing more than slot machines.