By Brenna Angel
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-913840.mp3
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- – It's not expanded gambling, but the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has voted in favor of a new type of wagering that it hopes will boost race purses at struggling Kentucky tracks.
The game is called instant racing: patrons place bets on old horse races that have been run all over the country. Names of the horses, jockeys, and trainers are hidden.
Horse Racing Commission Chairman Robert Beck says his group looked into the issue after receiving a legal opinion from the attorney general's office and support from Governor Beshear.
"We felt like we had the authority and didn't have any pressure. We were very thorough in our analysis and our due diligence and we took our time to get that done correctly. We're comfortable with what we came up with."
Beck says instant racing falls under regular pari-mutuel wagering because patrons are wagering among themselves, and not betting against house money at the track.
Kentucky's eight licensed horse racing associations have asked Franklin Circuit Court to confirm the legality of the new instant racing regulation.