Despite tightened rules regarding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in racehorses in, the state failed to conduct testing due to lack of sufficient funds, according to Dr. Michael I. Kotlikoff, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, where the program is conducted.
Board racing officials disagree however because according to their spokesman, Joe Mahoney, the state funding has significantly increased over the past five years. But Kotlikoff said that the university is trying to recover from all the costs incurred during the past years of testing. The building where they conduct the program is also in a bad state of repair. If nothing will be done of the situation, then they might be forced to conduct the drug testing outside New York, just like Kentucky whose drug testing is conducted at Florida. If this happens, then the state will have to pay thrice as much as what they are currently paying for.
The drug testing is deemed important in order to detect the use of performance-enhancing drugs on racehorses such as anabolic steroids and a concoction called milkshake, which is a combination of baking soda and some substances that could cost delay of lactic muscle buildup in horses. Lactic muscle is what makes the horses’ muscles tired. The horse owners are just plain discouraged with this shortfall.
According to New York Times:
“I was told they were testing for steroids and that they were testing everywhere for the milkshakes,” said Kim Crawford, director of the United States Trotting Association, who is also a trainer and driver at Saratoga Raceway. “The state is getting the $10 per horse from us and that amounts to a lot of money. Now, we find out they’re not doing the testing they’re supposed to be doing.”
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