Texas could be home to a new premier horse race with one of the
richest purses in the country in the next few years, if a state lawmaker
has his way.
A proposal by Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville,
would create a national race -- to be known as the Texas Derby or the
Texas Derby Open -- that would rotate among Texas' top racetracks as
soon as 2015. It would offer a purse worth up to $5 million.
"We
want to draw attention to Texas racing but also to Texas as a place to
race horses," Hilderbran said. "It could be the richest race in the
country, something that probably will never be equaled."
Some
officials say this bill comes as some horse tracks in Texas are
floundering, falling behind those in other states that offer
higher-dollar purses partly because of slot machine or casino business
that generates additional revenue.
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