The California Horse Racing Board last month denied a bid by Artichoke Joe's Casino to host a "mini-satellite" wagering facility and took a swipe at the San Mateo County Event Center in the process.

The San Bruno card club had reached an agreement to split the proceeds from the operation with the event center, home to the San Mateo Jockey Club, the only place in San Francisco or San Mateo counties where horse-racing enthusiasts can place bets on races while watching them on television.

Last year, the event center and the San Mateo County Counsel's Office successfully protested plans by Golden Gate Fields in Albany to open two satellite-wagering facilities in San Francisco, pointing to a state law that requires such operations to be at least 20 miles apart. The proposed locations in San Francisco were within that distance from the Jockey Club, which replaced Bay Meadows racetrack after it was torn down, they argued.

But the event center didn't object to the facility at Artichoke Joe's, apparently because it would have gotten half the card club's 2 percent take of the proceeds. Carpenter told the board the event center didn't give its blessing to a similar proposal by Lucky Chances Casino in Colma because the two parties couldn't work out a deal, according to minutes of the June 22 meeting in Inglewood.

"Is it the philosophy and intent of San Mateo that it will only allow facilities to open within a 20-mile radius (if the event

center is) effectively either the operator or "... franchiser of the system?" board Chairman Keith Brackpool asked.

"We will look at any deal that's out there," event center General Manager Chris Carpenter replied, according to the minutes.

Vice Chairman David Israel chimed in and laid the smack down.

"What's fair is what's good for all of California horse racing, not what's good for one particular element at one particular time. What's fair is what benefits the whole and generates the most revenue for everybody involved," Israel said. "And you still have never proved to us through any kind of market survey or whatever that there's any kind of "... cannibalistic quality to opening up these facilities. But you resist the expansion (unless) you get a cut of the action."

Fair officials and a spokesman for Artichoke Joe's did not respond to requests for comment.

Hill's bills

The office of Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, announced Friday that three of his bills have been signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

AB 1414, prompted by a letter Hill received from Brisbane biotech company Tercica, removes apomorphine from a state list of controlled substances, which will make more medications available for people suffering from Parkinson's disease.

AB 1748 will allow the San Mateo County Community College District to serve alcohol at special events on campus, helping the district raise money.

AB 2350 brings California into compliance with a federal requirement regarding how long minors can be detained for matters such as truancy or running away from home. Complying with federal law keeps California eligible for more than $7 million in federal grants for the state's Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Program, Hill's office said.

Good call

John K. Mooney, 75, has told us he will not ask for a recount in the race for county assessor-clerk-recorder.

Mooney, a write-in candidate, explored the recount because of what he perceived as irregularities in how write-in votes were tabulated.

But given that a full manual recount would cost about $20,000 and the fact that he lost to Supervisor Mark Church by a margin of 92,700 votes to 129 votes, this was probably a wise choice by the Redwood City resident.

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