New York State Gaming Commission

New York has lagged other racing states in addressing changes to whip use designed to be more humane to Thoroughbreds. But not being an early adopter of controversial new rules can sometimes be an advantage, because regulators are able to assess what is and isn't working in other jurisdictions before making potentially radical modifications to long-standing practices. That was the tone of discussion during the Oct. 19 teleconference meeting of the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), which conducted what amounted to a 2 1/4-hour opinion-gathering dialogue on whether or...

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) on Sept. 21 suspended Standardbred trainer Michael Temming for 20 years after two of his horses tested positive for a blood doping agent in a pair of December 2019 races at Yonkers Raceway. The Paulick Report first reported the story, describing the drug involved as IOX-2, a stabilizer of hypoxia-inducible factor, which is known as a blood and gene doping agent. TDN reported back in January that when the New York Equine Drug Testing Program announced the detection of this drug in Temming's...

As New York remains well behind other racing states to pass rules on whipping reform, the Sep. 21 meeting of the New York State Gaming Commission marked the fourth consecutive session over a nine-month span that the commission again declined to take up any substantial action on the topic. The NYSGC did, however, inch forward on the matter by declaring at the end of Monday's 14-minute meeting that October would be the month in which it sought public commentary from stakeholders. "I think we all agree that this is a...

For the third consecutive meeting over a seven-month span, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Monday again declined to take up any discussion of whip rule reform. Possible changes to whipping rules were initially brought up at the NYSGC's December 2019 meeting. Since that time, a number of other major racing jurisdictions--including California, Kentucky, Maryland and New Jersey--have all advanced changes in whip rules at the commission level that are designed to be more humane to horses. Near the conclusion of the 14-minute teleconference meeting July 27, commissioner Peter...

The New York State Gaming Commission announced Wednesday that licensed owners will be permitted to watch their horses train and race at New York tracks. The ban on spectators for the racing programs remains in effect. The change in policy for owners was made the day before the start of the Thoroughbred racing season at Saratoga Race Course. According to the commission's news release, once the overnight list of entries is published, licensed owners must make reservations in advance with the racing office to attend a race. No same-day requests...

The Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Race Course will open for training Thursday, June 4, with the barn area set to open to horsemen beginning Tuesday, June 2, officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced Friday. Both the training track and the Whitney viewing stand are to remain closed to the public and access will be restricted to essential personnel licensed by NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC). In consultation with the NYSGC and state and local public health officials, NYRA has implemented a comprehensive...

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) teleconference meeting Tuesday resulted in the adoption of four new Thoroughbred-related rules and the proposal of two others. Even though it was the NYSGC's first meeting since the COVID-19 crisis halted the state's racing industry in March, the five commissioners who participated did not discuss the pandemic or any aspect of return-to-racing plans for New York tracks. The only time the coronavirus got an oblique mention was during the reading into the record of a proposed emergency rule regarding changing qualifying race requirements...

An Aqueduct apprentice jockey who last year was suspended 10 days for allegedly not dismounting from his injured horse in a timely manner had his penalty wiped off the books via appeal by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Monday. The case involved jockey Benjamin Hernandez, who rode Tiger Man (Desert Party) in the eighth race Feb. 8, 2019. According to the Equibase chart, the 0-for-9 maiden-claimer "completed the half hobbling its way to the quarter pole, was eased [and] then pulled up." The NYSGC's Equine Breakdown, Death, Injury...