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Tightening Up In New Mexico
NMRC officials said Thursday horsemen in New Mexico can expect to experience more out-of-competition testing effective immediately.

Tightening Up In New Mexico

By Ben Hudson, TRACK Magazine

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—APRIL 22, 2016—Ishmael (Izzy) Trejo, the Executive Director of the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC), told TRACK Magazine’s Ben Hudson Thursday afternoon that horsemen in New Mexico can expect to experience more out-of-competition testing effective immediately.

“We are utilizing the rules that we have to move forward” in the state’s effort to control the use of illegal medication in racing, Trejo said. He would not venture to guess how many horses would be tested during a given race meet, but he did state that the rule allows the NMRC wide latitude in out of competition testing.

NMRC chairman Ray Willis of Roswell told TRACK that the “rule lets us test just about any registered horse with The ramped-up out-of-competition testing program is effective immediately according to Willis. The Sunland meet will wind down in early May. SunRay Park opens it 36-day meet on April 22 (Friday) and will run through June 20. Ruidoso opens its 60-day meet on May 27 and it runs through Labor Day.

The Downs at Albuquerque opens June 25 and runs through September 25.

Shaun Hubbard, the general manager at Ruidoso Downs, told TRACK Magazine, “I think out-of-competition testing is the most effective tool we have today to insure the integrity of racing in New Mexico. I applaud the Commission for taking this step and the horsemen for their support of it.”

The NMRC met earlier Thursday in Albuquerque.

Reprinted courtesy TRACK Magazine Monday Report Special Edition.