Texas Racing Commission approves 2016 dates requests

The path Texas racing will go down next year remains unclear with a Nov. 30 funding deadline looming, but dates for the 2016 season were approved on Tuesday. The Texas Racing Commission granted a calendar similar to the one in place this year, with the main change a later start for the Thoroughbred meet at Retama Park near San Antonio.

Lone Star Park near Dallas was approved for a 50-date Thoroughbred meet from April 7 through July 17. The track was also awarded a 26-date Quarter Horse meet from Sept. 16 through Nov. 12.

Retama is scheduled to open its 2016 meet for Thoroughbreds on Sept. 2. The 26-date season will run through Nov. 26. This year’s current meet opened Aug. 21 and is to close Saturday night, Oct. 17. Retama was also granted a 20-date meet for Quarter Horses, from June 10 through Aug. 13.

Sam Houston’s meet for Thoroughbreds was previously approved. The track is scheduled to run 32 dates from Jan. 15 through March 8. The Houston track on Tuesday was granted a 24-date meet for Quarter Horses, from March 25-May 16.

Gillespie County Fair in Fredericksburg was granted an eight-date mixed meet from July 2 through Aug. 28.

The commission is operating with temporary funding of its administrative costs in a matter that must be resolved with the state’s legislative budget board by Nov. 30 or there could be a shutdown of racing in Texas.