Page 53 - 30 March 2012

Oklahoma Commission Takes Stand On Clenbuterol
At the March OHRC meeting in Claremore, OK, members of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission voted to amend
the current contraband rule to read as follows: “Nor shall any person have in his/her possession within the enclosure the drug Clenbuterol other than in a form approved by the FDA, which approval currently allows the use of Clenbuterol under two brand names, Ventipulmin Syrup
and Aeropulmim Syrup. Possession within the enclosure of any form of Clenbuterol other than the Ventipulmin Syrup and Aeropulmin Syrup, in their original container, the container in which the drug was distributed by its manufacturer, is prohibited.”
The revised rule was adopted as an emergency rule which will go into effect as soon as it is approved by Governor Fallin and under permanent rulemaking. Possession
by anyone within the enclosure will result
in strong penalties, according to discussion
by Commissioners and staff during the meeting. According to a press release from the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, OHRC Executive Director Constantine
Rieger told horsemen at the meeting that the law enforcement division of the Commission will be vigilant in conducting random and unannounced searches in the barn area to seek out and eliminate the contraband clenbuterol at all Oklahoma racetracks. The penalty for possession of contraband can be a suspension of up to one year, and a fine of up to $2,500.
Further action to discourage the illegal
or inappropriate uses of clenbuterol include
a reduction of the permitted level of Ventipulium or Aeropulium, the only FDA approved forms of clenbuterol, in post-race testing of racehorses. Effective April 10, 2012 the OHRC approved level will drop from 500 pg/ml to 275 pg/ml. This level will apply on that date to all breeds racing in Oklahoma.
Additionally, effective May 4, 2012, the approved level for Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa horses racing in Oklahoma will be further reduced to 25 pg/ml. The lower level for Quarter Horses was approved with a delayed implementation to provide up to 45 days for horses being treated in a manner permitted under the old 500 pg/ml level adequate time to withdraw and allow the drug to clear a horse’s system completely. This is similar to the process used by the commission in eliminating the use of anabolic steriods in 2011. The AQHA and the OQHRA both supported a lower level for the Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosas racing in Oklahoma, and provided reasonable justification for the commission to approve a different level for those breeds.
In other action keeping with the
Commission’s intention to keep Oklahoma racing free from influence of illegal and non- permitted medications, the rules regarding taking of samples were amended to provide for the track veterinarian to take samples for drug testing from catastrophically injured horses prior to administering any other drugs as may be required for the welfare of the injured horse. The amendments provide that, while a trainer may witness the collection of samples in those situations, the track veterinarian may also identify witnesses from those present at the time the sample is drawn if the trainer is not immediately available.
A rule on labeling of medications
was passed over as the horsemen and the commission staff agreed it needed more
work, but the commissioners also approved
an amendment to the Oklahoma Breeding Development Fund that will provide additional financial resources for equine research and the necropsy program.
Retama Park Close To Funding Deal
Retama Park in Selma, Texas, which has been looking for an investment partner, may be close to a deal with an unnamed, publicly traded casino company that would help fund their losses for the next six years and repay some $8.8 million in debt. As part of the deal, current owner Retama Development Corp. (RDC) on March 15 agreed to borrow $1.27 million from the casino company to cover the facilities operating losses. In return, the casino company would take over management and purchase a majority ownership in the company that holds the track’s racing license. The Texas Racing Commission is reviewing the deal. The Retama Park Quarter Horse meet runs from June 8 through Aug. 11.
Deal Reached To Move Ohio Tracks
Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PNGI), which owns Beulah Park and Raceway Park
in Ohio, has reached an agreement to move
the tracks in a deal that will provide $150 million in relocation fees to the state. The agreement allows Beulah Park to relocate from near Columbus to Austintown, and harness track Raceway Park near Toledo to move to Dayton. PNGI plans to spend around $200 million on the relocation, plus $100 million
in licensing fees. PNGI will also pay the state 33.5% of the video lottery terminal revenue, a rate slightly higher than what new casinos will pay. The deal is awaiting approval by the racing commission and legislation changes.
Ontario Slots Operations Closing
Although hundreds of race supporters rallied at the capitol, the government in
Ontario is reconsidering its agreement to
make payments from the province’s racetrack casinos to the racing industry. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG), which owns slot operations at the province’s
17 racetrack casinos, said on March 12 it would pull slots from a number of tracks as part of a reorganization of gambling that will significantly reduce payments to the racing industry. OLG announced the closure of slots at Fort Erie Race Track, Windsor Raceway and Hiawatha effective April 30. OLG said the move was necessary, citing a drop in casino net profit from $800 million per year a decade ago to less than $100 million today. In the short term, live racing for this season will be unaffected, and OLG will continue to make payments to the affected municipalities until March 31, 2013. Fort Erie runs QH races on July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 3-17; Ajax Downs runs a 40-day meet from May 13 through Sept. 30.
Racing Revenue Targeted In U.S.
Racing subsidies in Canada are not the
only ones in jeopardy, as U.S. legislators target hundreds of millions of dollars flowing from casinos to racing in order to address budget gaps. Proposed legislation in Pennsylvania
will reduce annual subsidies by $72 million
for each of the next three years, this following
a recent $49 million reduction in horsemen’s share of casino revenue; the Indiana inspector general is recommending a one-half reduction
of the approximate $60 million in subsidies; a bill introduced in Maryland would direct all
of the revenue tracks receive from casinos to school construction; in New York a proposed expansion of a casino at Aqueduct is expected
to cap racing’s share of any new revenue from any new games; Kentucky legislators denounced the racing industry for seeking a monopoly on casino gambling and shot down a bill that would ask voters to legalize casinos; and New Jersey Gov. Christie sided with Atlantic City casinos’ refusal to re-negotiate an agreement to provide payments to the racing industry.
Montana Board Upheaval
Restructuring of the Montana Board
of Horse Racing continues. In December,
Gov. Brian Schweitzer appointed an advisory committee consisting of Christian Mackay, Dore Schwinden and Cliff Larsen. Schweitzer then suspended and later dismissed the Board’s executive secretary Ryan Sherman. Additionally, Board member Ray Tracy was asked by Larsen to resign. Tracy submitted his resignation, which has not yet been acted upon. Schweitzer has appointed three new Board members, Dale Mahlum, Allen Fisher and John Hayes.
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