Administration

The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission is an administrative body created by 3A Oklahoma Statutes, 1984 Supplement, § 200, et seq.  The Commission consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the Senate, and whose powers and duties are prescribed by the Legislature.  [3A:201(A)].  The Commission appoints an Executive Director who is the administrative head of the agency, and the Commission determines the duties of the Executive Director [3A:203.3(A)].  In general, the Legislature has prescribed that the Commission shall have supervision of all race meetings held in the State of Oklahoma, all occupation and Organization Licensees in the State, and all persons on the property of an Organization Licensee [3A:204(A)(1)].   

The Oklahoma Horse Racing Act [3A O.S, § 200 et seq.] vests in the Commission plenary power to promulgate rules and regulations for the  forceful control of race meetings held in the State of Oklahoma and to enforce such rules and regulations for the conduct of race meetings [3A:203.7].  Without limitations by specific mention hereof, the stated purposes of the rules and regulations are as follow: (1) To encourage agriculture and breeding of horses in this state; and (2) To maintain race meetings held in the state of the highest quality and free of any horse racing practices which are corrupt, incompetent, dishonest or unprincipled; and (3) To dissipate any cloud of association with the undesirable and to maintain the appearance as well as the fact of complete honesty and integrity of horse racing in this state; and (4) To generate public revenues [3A:203.7].