The second highest ranking government official in Texas has sent a letter to the Texas Racing Commission’s chairman “urging” the panel to repeal historical racing rules at its next meeting, Dec. 15. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick late Tuesday released the letter he sent to the commission’s Robert Schmidt.

The New York Racing Association has scheduled a total of 237 days of racing at its three tracks in 2016, 14 fewer days (5.5 percent) than what was scheduled in 2015, the organization announced Wednesday.

A four-day race week during January, February and March along with the reinstatement of a Christmas break next December accounts for the bulk of the reduction. There will also be five fewer days of racing at Belmont Park’s spring-summer meet, owing in large part to NYRA building in dark days around Memorial Day and July 4th to avoid having six-day race weeks until Saratoga.

Robert Beck, the highly involved chairman of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission since 2008, announced his resignation on Tuesday at the close of the commission’s regular monthly meeting. The resignation takes effect Dec. 7, the last day in the second and final term of Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, who appointed Beck to the post.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday was stopped from considering a request by Keeneland to go forward with a new Quarter Horse track in Corbin after a struggling harness track in the state filed suit to delay discussions of the proposal.

Plans for offtrack stabling in Southern California for 2016 were left in chaos on Monday evening after an apparent agreement reached last weekend among area racetracks and horsemen’s organizations collapsed, according to Chuck Winner, the chairman of the California Horse Racing Board.

“Things have taken a turn for the worse,” Winner said.

Winner said on Monday evening that “a deal was done” over Thanksgiving weekend, “but things have fallen apart. There are a number of issues. We’re trying to get everyone to give a little, which is hard in this industry.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Business was up substantially at the 21-day Churchill Downs fall meet that ended Sunday, according to figures released by the track.

Churchill reported that gross all-sources handle of $104.6 million was up 10 percent over comparable figures from the 2014 fall meet despite the track having run three fewer dates this fall. Daily all-sources handle averaged $4,982,238, up nearly 26 percent.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar’s second fall season since the closure of Hollywood Park was, as track president Joe Harper said Sunday night after the meet ended, “a tale of two meets.”

Yes, it was the best of times, and – while not quite the worst of times – certainly a drop off from the prior year. This fall’s meet was five days longer – 20 days vs. 15 days – owing to an earlier start that was expected to help generate business because it coincided with the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

Betfair, the British-based owner of Television Games Network, has been granted a conditional license by New Jersey regulators to launch the first exchange-wagering platform in the U.S., a development that could have a dramatic impact on the racing industry if its supporters' goals are fully realized.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The mutuel field, the No. 24 or “all others” option, closed Sunday as the favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and in the Sire futures offered for the first time this year by Churchill Downs.

The field is 3-5 in Pool 1 and 2-1 in the Sire wager.

Both pools opened Thursday for a four-day run. A big bet was made early that day on the field in Pool 1, and the odds never rose higher than 3-5. The top individual choices are Nyquist at 9-1, Moyahmen at 11-1, Swipe at 18-1, and Airoforce at 18-1.

MIAMI – The 2015 Gulfstream Park West meet concluded Saturday showing big gains in average and overall handle compared to the previous year.

Average daily handle during the 40-day session was $3.56 million, compared to $2.99 million a year ago, an increase of 19 percent. Total handle climbed from $131 million during a 44-day meet in 2014 to $142 million in 2015, a gain of 8 percent.