California Senator Dean Florez is developing legislation to address the issue of funding for the state’s major Thoroughbred racetracks to install Polytrack-like surfaces in order to reduce injuries to horses and riders.

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has given preliminary approval to a rule requiring the major tracks to install the new racing surfaces by the end of 2007.

Senator Florez and CHRB Chairman Richard B. Shapiro have had numerous discussions about Polytrack and the need to better protect racehorses, which they say are suffering serious injuries at an alarming rate. Synthetic polymer-based surfaces are considered safer than the traditional organic-based surfaces in use today.

Racing commissioners voted last month to begin the regulatory process to require any track that operates four weeks or more of continuous Thoroughbred racing in any calendar year to install a polymer-type surface. The proposed rule will be noticed to the public for 45 days, and then the board will conduct a public hearing before taking final action