(a) Any license granted to an association other than a fair shall be only for one type of racing, thoroughbred, harness, or quarter horse racing as the case may be, except that the board may authorize the entering of thoroughbred and Appaloosa horses in quarter horse races at a distance not exceeding five furlongs at quarter horse meetings, mixed breed meetings, and fair meetings. If the board authorizes the entering of thoroughbred or Appaloosa horses in quarter horse races, the following conditions shall be met:
(1) Any race written for participation by quarter horses, Appaloosas, and thoroughbreds shall be written as quarter horse preferred.
(2) The number of races written as quarter horse preferred at a distance exceeding 870 yards shall not exceed more than three races per program without the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization contracting with the association.
(3) More than one-half of the races on any program shall be for quarter horses at a distance not to exceed 550 yards, unless the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization is received.
(4) Mixed races with Appaloosa and quarter horses may only be written with the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization contracting with the association.
(5) Thoroughbreds shall constitute less than half the number of horses in these races although an exception may be granted on a race-to-race basis with the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization contracting with the association.
(b) The association that conducts the meeting shall pay to a thoroughbred trainers’ organization an amount for a pension plan for backstretch personnel to be administered by that trainers’ organization equivalent to 1 percent of the amount available to thoroughbred horses for purses. The remainder of the portion shall be distributed as purses. Any redistributable money paid to the board pursuant to Section 19641, which is paid to a welfare fund established by a horsemen’s organization from races with both thoroughbred and quarter horses, shall be divided pro rata between the two welfare funds based on the number of thoroughbreds and quarter horses in the race.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any association licensed to conduct quarter horse racing may apply to the board for, and the board shall grant, authority to conduct thoroughbred racing as part of its racing program if all of the following conditions are met:
(A) The thoroughbred races are for a claiming price of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), and at a distance of four and one-half furlongs or less. The races may not be stakes, allowance races, or maiden allowance races.
(B) More than one-half of the races on any program shall be for quarter horses at a distance not to exceed 550 yards, unless the consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization is received.
(C) The consent of the quarter horse horsemen’s organization contracting with the association is obtained with respect to the inclusion of thoroughbred racing.
(2) The quarter horse racing association conducting thoroughbred racing pursuant to this subdivision shall pay to a quarter horse horsemen’s organization the amount specified in subdivision (e) of Section 19613, and an amount for a pension plan for backstretch personnel to be administered by a thoroughbred trainers’ organization equivalent to 1 percent of the amount available to thoroughbred horses for purses. The remainder of the portion shall be distributed as purses. The quarter horse racing association shall also deduct the appropriate amount to comply with subdivision (a) of Section 19617.2 for distribution to the thoroughbred official registering agency.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 368, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)