The New Jersey Racing Commission has cleared the out-of-competition tests screened to date on the entrants in the $1.2 million Hambletonian, to be raced Saturday, Aug. 5 at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
This procedure has been routine for nearly a decade in the Hambletonian Society sponsored and owned Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks races, as well as the $6 million Breeders Crown events.
For the past three weeks samples were drawn from possible Hambletonian entrants stabled throughout New Jersey, as well as Ontario, Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania. All horses were tested with the cooperation of the participating horsemen and state and provincial racing commissions in those jurisdictions.
“I would like to thank the New Jersey Racing Commission for their diligence in this area as well as the racing commissions in Pennsylvania, Ontario, New York and Delaware for their cooperative work with New Jersey,” said John Campbell, president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society.
“These state and provincial jurisdictions working together on all fronts is paramount to any success our sport will have moving forward, and the Society applauds this initiative. We would also like to thank the horsemen for their continued support and cooperation.”
All Hambletonian and Oaks horses will report in advance of race time to a secure stakes barn at The Meadowlands. Random out-of-competition testing has continued through Friday night.
All contestants will be post-race tested according to standard NJ Racing Commission procedures and all winners on Saturday and randomly chosen horses from each field will be subject to the "Super Test" screening, which detects the broadest array of substances.
The out-of-competition drug testing is used to detect evidence of blood doping, and is a condition of entry for the Breeders Crown, Hambletonian and the Hambletonian Oaks. This testing is in addition to earlier out-of-competition testing done privately by the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The Hambletonian Society, the only standardbred racing organization to prohibit the use of raceday medication in its signature races, the Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian Maturity, remains committed to the integrity of racing and the welfare of the Standardbred horse. These policies can only be implemented with the full cooperation of the New Jersey, Ontario, Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania Racing Commissions.
The Society owns and administers 131 stake races, and over the last 25 years through the use of racing conditions has addressed embryo transfer, cloning, out-of-competition testing, and added language to address the emerging threats of exotic drugs and blood doping. The Society has forged strong bonds with its host tracks, host track commissions and provincial regulatory bodies and has shared in additional testing and retention costs.
Post time Saturday is 12:00 noon for the closing day of the Meadowlands Championship meet, a stakes-laden internationally simulcast event.
(Hambletonian Society)