Sen. Mitch McConnell, the powerful Senate majority leader from Kentucky, has introduced a bill creating federal government regulation over a national racing board that would be responsible for setting drug-testing policies and standards for the sport.
Is the Kentucky Derby the Kentucky Derby if it is run four months after the first Saturday in May? Handle and viewership numbers would say no.
The Kentucky Derby broadcast on NBC-TV on Saturday peaked at 9.8 million viewers, a steep fall from the viewership for last year’s broadcast when the race was held in May.
Total handle on a Kentucky Derby run four months after the first Saturday of May dropped just more than 50 percent this year, underlining the importance of the race’s longtime spot on the calendar.
Federal authorities have charged a New York man of stealing equine pharmaceutical products from his workplace and reselling them to veterinarians and trainers.
Total wagering on U.S. races in August dopped by nearly 2 percent compared to the same month last year on a 10 percent drop in races held, according to figures released by Equibase on Friday.
Casinos in New York will be allowed to open at limited capacity starting Wednesday, according to a directive issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday, resurrecting an essential lifeline for purses and for operating funds for New York racetracks.
Jockeys seeking to ride on opening day at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington on Oct. 2 will need to receive a COVID-19 test from the racetrack on Sept. 29, the track announced on Tuesday.
The Monday announcement by Sen. Mitch McConnell that he supports federal legislation seeking to unify medication rules across the United States was unquestionably a major coup for those who support the bill. But despite grand talk of a consensus on the bill at the Monday conference, there remains strong pockets of resistance to the legislation throughout the racing industry.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the powerful U.S. Senate Majority Leader from Kentucky, will support efforts to pass legislation sought by some racing constituencies that would attempt to put in place uniform medication regulations across the country, McConnell said Monday.
