(Austin, Texas - July 11, 2011) - Recently, the Texas Racing Commission opened the application period for racetracks to request race dates for calendar year 2012 and the first eight months of 2013. As part of the process to grant race dates, the Horse Race Dates Committee will meet on Aug. 3, 2011. The meeting will take place at 11:00 a.m. at Retama Park in Selma, Texas.

The Horse Race Dates Committee promotes an in-depth discussion of the potential racing schedule. The committee meeting will provide an opportunity for the associations, breed associations, other racing industry stakeholders and the public to fully participate in the process. The committee meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend.

Racetracks must submit their date requests to the Commission before this committee meets. This will ensure that all attendees have advance knowledge of the tracks’ proposals.

Racetracks must submit their race date requests to the Commission no later than July 15, 2011. The Commission expects to consider the racetracks’ requested race dates at its meeting on August 16, 2011.

The committee will welcome input on whether each racetrack’s proposed race meeting will serve to nurture, promote, develop or improve the horse industry in Texas. Among the factors the Commission may consider are: the current condition of the association's racetrack and facilities for patrons, race animals and occupational licensees; the anticipated effect of the proposed race meeting on the continuity of racing during the year; the live race dates requested by other
associations licensed to conduct races for the same species of animal; the anticipated effect of the race meeting on the horse breeding industry in Texas; the anticipated effect of scheduled race meetings in neighboring race states on the proposed race meeting; and the anticipated availability of race animals for the race meetings.

The agenda for the Horse Race Dates Committee Meeting is available at www.txrc.state.tx.us. For more information regarding race date allocation, please email info@txrc.state.tx.us, or contact Bill Childs at (512) 833-6699.