Inventory of the California Horse Racing Board Records

Processed by Larissa Harrison and Archives staff.
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2004
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the California Horse Racing Board Records

Collection number: See series description



California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Contact Information:

  • California State Archives
  • 1020 "O" Street
  • Sacramento, California 95814
  • Phone: (916) 653-2246
  • Fax: (916) 653-7363
  • Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
  • URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
Processed by:
Larissa Harrison and Archives staff
Date Completed:
2003
Encoded by:
Sara Roberson
© 2004 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: California Horse Racing Board Records,
Date (inclusive): 1933-1995
Collection number: See series description
Creator: California Horse Racing Board
Extent: 37 cubic feet.
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: Established in 1933 the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) regulates authorized California horse races that involve pari-mutuel betting and protects the public from fraudulent operations.
Physical location: California State Archives.
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access

Some records restricted per Government Code section 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(f)).

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], California Horse Racing Board Records, [collection number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition Information

After standard review of the California Horse Racing Board records the California State Archives acquired these documents because of their ablity to provide historical information.

Agency History

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was established in 1933 as an independent agency. Its creation came as the result of a constitutional amendment that added Section 25a to Article IV of the Constitution of the State of California. The 1933 amendment required the creation of the CHRB and established its authority over the regulation of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at licensed California racetracks. The Constitutional Revision of 1966 replaced Section 25a with Section 19b of Article IV of the California Constitution. The CHRB's authority and enforcement practices are derived from the Business and Professions Code, Chapter 4, Division 8 known as the Horse Racing Law (Stats 1933, ch.436, sections 1-19 p.1127-1137).
The function of the CHRB is to oversee and regulate authorized California horse races that involve pari-mutuel betting and to protect the public from fraudulent operations. The Board does this by issuing occupational licenses to the horse owners, jockeys, grooms and veterinarians who work with the horses on race days and the parimutuel operators who collect the bets on race days. The CHRB has some enforcement capabilities. If any licensee commits an unlawful act, such as injecting a horse with a banned drug on race day that person can have their license revoked and be required to pay a fine. The Board also investigates complaints about licensees made by the general public at a race. To support this endeavor, the CHRB employs a division of field investigators who as California Peace Officers enforce and investigate such violations at member racetracks throughout the state.
Besides the field investigators, the CHRB also employs stewards who are in charge of the daily operations at racetracks. They are responsible for ensuring that horse trainers and jockeys are aware of race times, that violations of the CHRB and member racetracks' rules are not being committed, and that any violators are ejected from the tracks. The Board appoints the stewards to their positions.
The CHRB is made up of seven members who are appointed by the Governor and serve for a period of four years. Members are often well acquainted with horse racing in California. The CHRB also acts as a liaison with other states' horse racing boards or commissions and help facilitate off track pari-mutuel wagering with other racetracks out of state through satellite wagering. The CHRB also has several committees, which oversee the varied duties of the Board. One such committee, is the steward's committee, is made of stewards and Board members to act on complaints and concerns of the stewards

Scope and Content

Files kept by the California Horse Racing Board include detailed meeting minutes, correspondence, annual statistical reports, and information on horse racing tracks. Also included are the transcripts of hearings on the illegal activities of jockeys, trainers, horse owners, and track officials. Some informative and commemorative pamphlets produced for individual horse racing tracks can also be found in the collection.

Related Materials at the California State Archives

Other records series concerning the California Horse Racing Board can be found in the card catalog subject files under Horse Racing. The California State Archives also has unprocessed records created by the California Horse Racing Board. Unprocessed materials are identified by accession numbers: 2000-09-17, 2002-079, 2004-027.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into nine series: Satellite Facilities Minutes, Correspondence, Publicity Files, Investigation Files, Board Meeting Minutes, Transcripts, Meeting Files,Advisory Committee Files, and Reports.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been associated with these materials in the Archives' automated public access system (currently in development, December 2004).

Subjects

California Horse Racing Board.
Horse racing--Rules.
Racetracks--Horse racing.
Horse racing--Betting--Law and legislation.


Folder 92-10-05

Series 1.  Satellite Facilities Minutes, 1986-1990

Physical Description: 32 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged by racetrack and year.

Scope and Content Note

The official minutes submitted to the CHRB from satellite and racetrack facilities throughout the state that existed in 1986. The minutes describe the daily operations of the facilities along with unusual or extraordinary event including the reporting Inter-Track steward's opinions about the running of the facility.
Folder 97-02-41

Series 2.  Correspondence, 1984-1988

Physical Description: 52 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged by racetrack and year.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence received by the CHRB's Administrative Office. The correspondence concerns license refusals and renewals, financial complaints and violations of CHRB's policies. Also includes official reports on racetrack safety and maintenance at Bay Meadows and Los Alamitos, including photographs.
Folder 96-05-13

Series 3. Publicity Files, 1968-1995

Physical Description: 14 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged by subject.

Scope and Content Note

Publicity material include press guides, commemorative publications, histories, and track schedules of Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, Golden Gate Fields, Bay Meadows, and Hollywood Park Racetracks.
Folder 95-07-08, 93-10-15

Series 4. Investigation Files, 1982-1990

Physical Description: 160 file folders.

Arrangement

Racetrack investigations arranged numerically by case number. Individual investigations arranged alphabetically by last name.

Scope and Content Note

The first group consists of investigation reports and materials gathered by the CHRB's investigators at the various racetracks in California. The majority of reports deal with financial complaints brought by unpaid trainers, grooms and merchants against licensee. Another large group of investigations conducted by CHRB investigators concerns license acceptance and eligibility. These usually concern past criminal acts by the applicant or illegal entry into the United States. There is also a small group of reports that deal with disturbing crimes committed at the racetracks or by CHRB licenses. Others include accident reports, drug tests for both horses and people; and necropsy reports on suspicious deaths of racehorses at the tracks. The latter group of records consists of reports on persons ejected or removed from California racetracks for violations of state law and racetrack policies. It also includes license refusals on candidates who have neglected to disclose a criminal past, illegal entry into the U.S., suspended license issued by another U.S. horse racing regulatory agency; violation of CHRB policy or failure to pass the necessary tests required for some licenses.

Access Note

Restricted records per Government Code 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(f)).
Folder F3635:1-21

Series 5. Board Minutes, 1935-1936;1945-1984

Physical Description: 21 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes from the California Horse Racing Board meetings relating to a wide variety of subjects. The notice of meeting includes the individuals present, location, date, and issues discussed. Board directors, members, and locations of offices were noted at the first meeting. Some minute books include subject indexes.
Folder F3635:22-305

Series 6. Transcripts, 1940-1984

Physical Description: 18.5 cubic feet.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of hearing.

Scope and Content Note

Transcripts of hearings include date and location. Some have an index by the name of the individual testifying. Hearings pertain to a variety of topics such as any illegal activities of jockeys and horse owners, applications for licenses, and proposals for new racetracks.
Folder F3635:306-348

Series 7. Meeting Files, 1980-1984

Physical Description: 42 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Scope and Content Note

Meeting files may include: detailed meeting agendas with meeting location and date, staff commentary on meeting, schedule of racing dates, correspondence, and applications for licenses.
Folder F3635:349-360

Series 8. Advisory Committee Files, 1982-1984

Physical Description: 12 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Scope and Content Note

Advisory committee files include meeting minutes, transcripts, and correspondence.
Folder F3635:361-362,96-05-13

Series 9. Reports, 1933-1994

Physical Description: 10 file folders.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Reports include: reports, budgets, and Statistical Reports of Operation, which are annual economic reports on horse racing in California.