Photograph:
Jake Rogers Courtesy of Ruidoso Downs Race Observe
In response to orders from New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the state’s racing fee applied a brand new directive that requires a non-public veterinarian, a racetrack veterinarian and a state veterinarian to log off on all horses earlier than they will race.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported the measure was in response to a requirement from Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, to step up management of the state’s horse racing trade.
Each day Racing Kind reported Monday that Lujan Grisham despatched a letter to fee executives final week, ordering them “to take speedy motion” to extend oversight of the trade.
The name for motion got here in a letter despatched to fee executives final week after equine seven fatalities in three days at Ruidoso Downs earlier this month, in accordance with the report. Lujan Grisham known as for steps that embrace pre-race evaluations, blood testing for all horses, preserving remedy syringes for testing and requiring horses to be based mostly on the observe forward of main races.
Ruidoso Downs will host 4 main quarter-horse stakes Sunday and Monday. They embrace the All American Derby and All American Oaks on Sunday and the All American Futurity and All American Gold Cup on Monday.
Lujan Grisham stated in her letter that of the seven fatalities at Ruidoso Downs from Aug. 11 to 13, solely one of many horses underwent a pre-race examination, in accordance with the report. She stated there have been 642 horses euthanized at New Mexico tracks from 2014 to 2022, which it cited because the sixth-highest determine within the nation throughout that span.
