News


Hearing Postponed in Texas Horsemen's Case
A Wednesday hearing in a suit brought by the Texas Horsemen's Partnership against the state comptroller has been postponed.

Hearing Postponed in Texas Horsemen's Case

AUSTIN, TX—FEBRUARY 3, 2016—The Daily Racing Form reported earlier today that a hearing of the Texas Horsemen's Partnership suit against the Texas comptroller concerning funding of the Texas Racing Commission (TRC) has been postponed.

David Cabrales, an attorney representing the horsemen's group, told the Daily Racing Form the original date was bumped off the docket calendar after the Texas Attorney General's office filed a motion to push back the hearing until after the regularly scheduled meeting of the Texas Racing Commission on February 9.

Cabrales said a motion for reconsideration has been filed.

The TRC's released agenda for the February 9 meeting includes the topic of historical racing, as well as another option for a vote concerning historical racing machines.

Rules which were put in place in 2014 by the TRC, providing for operation of historical racing, have been an ongoing political debate between the commission and state legislators. After the TRC failed to repeal the rules the state's legislative budget board withheld the commission funding for administrative cost. The moved forced a one-day shut down of the state's racing industry last year before a series of temporary measures were put in place.

Funding is set to run out again the end of the month and the TRC began plans for another shutdown.

Historical racing machines have never operated in Texas.