North America's members in the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers have raised the minimum purse requirement for races to earn black-type designation in sales catalogs. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, races must have a total purse of $45,000, distributed on the day of the race, in order to be eligible for black type. The current minimum purse requirement is $40,000. The minimum purse level will be raised again, to $50,000, on Jan. 1, 2008.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill that seeks to ban most forms of Internet gambling but also includes exemptions for the current simulcasting and online wagering practices of the U.S. horse racing industry.

The Illinois Horse Racing Board on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the number of breakdowns at Arlington Park and will hire an additional state veterinarian to assist in physical inspections at the track, the executive director of the board said after a board meeting.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that seeks to ban most forms of internet gambling but also includes exemptions for the current simulcasting and online wagering practices of the U.S. horse racing industry.

The bill passed on a vote of 317 to 93, with 23 abstentions. The legislation, which will now be sent to the U.S. Senate, is being closely watched within the horse racing industry because of its potential impact on both interstate full-card simulcasting and the fastest-growing segment of pari-mutuel wagering, online betting.

Delaware North, the racetrack and casino operator, has joined Empire Racing Associates in its bid to win the franchise currently held by the New York Racing Association, the two companies announced Sunday.

The partnership is intended to strengthen Empire's bid to operate Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Saratoga Racecourse, and a casino at Aqueduct. Empire is a coalition of horsemen and business and political leaders formed earlier this year to win NYRA's franchise, and Delaware North owns and operates racetracks and casinos in several states, as well as several entertainment facilities.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Ltd., which have operated jointly since 2000, announced Friday that they will fire 25 of their 67 employees by the end of the year as part of a plan to make the NTRA leaner and narrow its focus.

Barring a quick resolution to the New Jersey budget crisis, there will be no live racing or simulcast wagering in the state beyond Tuesday afternoon.

"We will keep our horsemen, guests, and employees apprised of the status of live and simulcast racing at both racetracks beyond the July 4th holiday card as soon as we are informed," Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, was quoted as saying on the Monmouth Park website Monday. The authority operates Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands.

Kieren Fallon, the six-time champion jockey who won the Irish Derby on Sunday, was one of 28 people arrested and charged on Monday in London with conspiracy to defraud in a wide-ranging investigation into corruption in horse racing, according to British newspapers.

Although 16 companies met the June 30 deadline to identify themselves as bidders for the franchise held by the New York Racing Association, that number is expected to drop considerably by the time formal bids are due on Aug. 15.

Racing at Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands Racetrack is among the victims of the closure of New Jersey state government after a Saturday constitutional deadline passed without a new budget in place.

Monmouth Park ran its Saturday card but halted simulcasting at 6 p.m. The Meadow-

lands canceled its Saturday night Standardbred card and stopped simulcasting at 6 p.m.