NM horse racing officials look to adopt stricter rules: “We need to get tough,” chairman says

Courtesy of Rob Nikolewski

Capitol Report New Mexico - Within the next two months, the rules and penalties concerning New Mexico horse racing might get a lot tougher. And if the legislature goes along, so might drug testing. On Thursday (April 19), the state’s Racing Commission is considering adopting regulations from the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) in addition to possibly increasing the number of horses tested for illegal drugs from two to three following each race, even if it might triple the amount already budgeted for testing. “We have to take immediate measures now. We really do,” agency director Vince Mares said after the commission’s monthly meeting Thursday. Last month, the New York Times ran a 6,400-word exposé that has rocked the horse racing community across the United States. But the Times article painted a particularly harsh picture of New Mexico, depicting the state as a place where race horses are regularly drugged to dangerous levels and where offenders are too easily let off the hook. According to a statistical study done by the newspaper, five of the seven tracks in the country with the highest rates of incidents were in New Mexico. Members of the racing commission and those in the industry across the state criticized theTimes report but have acknowledged there are problems in New Mexico. Read More News New Mexico

NM horse racing officials look to adopt stricter rules: “We need to get tough,” chairman says