The Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity has announced that three of the leading horse racing tracks owned and operated by Jeff Gural – the Meadowlands Racetrack, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs – have joined as members, adding to the growing support for national oversight of uniform medication standards in American horse racing.
“Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs are all known for having the highest testing standards possible,” said Gural. “We currently do our own out of competition testing and surveillance at our expense. We have utilized the Hong Kong Jockey Club Laboratories as well as others, and despite the current efforts of the states we have been able to detect illegal performance enhancing medication in horses entered at our facilities.
“We believe that national oversight is the only way to ensure that everyone is playing fairly and that our animals are not subject to potentially harmful medications. Our tracks are proud to join the coalition and we hope that our participation will help broaden these positive reforms to encompass Standardbred horse racing. The implementation of uniform policies throughout the U.S. and an industry-based, non-governmental solution will only help us grow the popularity and credibility of the sport and ultimately establish a level playing field across the board.”
The coalition has already played an integral role in advocating for effectiveness and accountability reviews to ensure that uniform medication testing and enforcement regulations are successfully implemented throughout the United States’ 38 racing jurisdictions.
The Coalition – whose membership also includes the Breeders’ Cup Ltd., the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Veterinary Medicine Association, The Jockey Club, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders, and the Water Hay Oats Alliance – supports the Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015. This bill, introduced in July 2015 to the House of Representatives by Congressmen Andy Barr (R-KY) and Paul Tonko (D-NY), will direct the non-governmental, non-profit U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to create an independent, racing-specific, non-governmental and non-profit organization to work collaboratively with state racing commissions and their respective staff members throughout the country.
(With files from the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity)