NY Plans End to State-Paid Tests on Claimers
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The state of New York expects to save in excess of $200,000 annually by ending state-funded blood and urine tests of all claimed horses.
Once the plan is given final enactment, such tests up to horse purchasers to pay, if they want, to check for the presence of illegal drugs in a claimed horse.
The New York State Gaming Commission on Oct. 26 gave approval to a change in state equine industry rules to halt universal testing of all claimed horses, a longstanding practice that costs the state about $150 per test.
Robert Williams, the executive director of the state agency, told the commission board that the change "eliminates the burdensome state expense" of testing every claimed horse. He said New York is the only major racing jurisdiction that provides the testing at no charge. Claimants can use a positive test for a banned substance as a reason to halt a claim, though the state says that many do not.
The change still needs to go through a public comment period before it can be adopted at some point in the months ahead.
Williams said there were 2,286 claims in the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries in New York in 2014. At that rate, the state funded $343,000 worth of tests. But Williams said the expected savings needs to be projected downward to about $261,000 because the state will still continue with its practice of testing the winning horse of every race, including claiming races. Unknown is how many claimants will simply not go through with a blood or urine test of a claimed horse, which the state will perform but now charge for under the rule.
Officials said the savings will go to fund research and testing at the state's equine lab. The rule would apply to both the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. If the rule is given a final OK, the state said stewards will still maintain their legal authority to administer a state-funded test to any horse after a race.
The commission on Oct. 26 also gave final approval to a rule change that will permit racetrack-based casinos to stay open until 6 a.m. each day. The rule, tracking a change previously approved by lawmakers, changes the current 4 a.m. closing time mandate. Racetrack casinos, of which there are nine in New York, still must be closed for four hours each day.
The commission, at the request of board member John Poklemba, is undertaking a study on the daily fantasy sports industry in New York. That industry is coming under increasing scrutiny, including by federal prosecutors who have opened inquiries in recent weeks. Poklemba said he wanted to know "what role, if any, the commission may have here." The report is due by the board's next meeting in late November.
Williams said the agency staff had already begun preliminary discussions about the expanding fantasy sports industry to see how it interplays with the commission's jurisdiction "and the state constitution." He did not elaborate.