(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in addition to any amounts provided for purses by any other provision of this chapter, from the amount deposited with the official registering agency for distribution pursuant to Section 19617.2, the official registering agency shall make the following distributions as owners’ premiums:
(1) An amount equal to 20 percent of the winner’s share of the purse for a qualifying race, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 19617, shall be distributed as an owner premium to the owner of a registered California-bred thoroughbred horse conceived by a registered eligible thoroughbred stallion, as provided in subdivision (d) of Section 19617, which finishes first in the race.
(2) An amount equal to 10 percent of the winner’s share of the purse for a qualifying race, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 19617, shall be distributed as an owner premium to the owner of a registered California-bred thoroughbred horse that finishes first in the race and that was not conceived by a registered eligible thoroughbred stallion as provided in subdivision (d) of Section 19617, which finishes first in the race.
(b) The official registering agency shall develop a policy for the payment of owner premiums pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) in the event of a dead heat that involves one or more registered California-bred horses.
(c) From the amounts distributed as purses pursuant to this chapter, the organization responsible for negotiating purse agreements on behalf of thoroughbred horsemen participating in racing meetings, at its discretion, may pay an owner’s premium for a qualifying race, as defined by the organization, to the owner of a registered California-bred thoroughbred that finishes first through fifth in the qualifying race. Notwithstanding the foregoing, these payments shall be not less than the amount of the total payments made by the organization in 1998, and the discretion accorded the organization pursuant to this subdivision shall be exercised on a statewide basis for all racing meetings.
(d) The organization responsible for negotiating purse agreements on behalf of thoroughbred horsemen participating in racing meetings shall pay, from purse revenues generated, to the official registering agency for the purpose of the California-bred bonus program an amount equal to the amount determined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 19617.2, not to exceed two million dollars ($2,000,000) annually, and that amount shall be used for California-bred incentive awards.
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 550, Sec. 1. (AB 1578) Effective January 1, 2010.)