Jockey Club pledges funds for out-of-competition testing

The Jockey Club is again making $250,000 available to racetracks this year to use for out-of-competition testing of horses pointed to graded stakes races, the organization said on Wednesday.

This is the second year in which The Jockey Club has allotted $250,000 for out-of-competition testing, which is already conducted by racing commissions in a handful of states, including California, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, and New York. The Jockey Club said the allotment will be limited to graded stakes that are scheduled for March 28 or later this year.

Out-of-competition tests are generally conducted on samples drawn a week or more outside of a race. The tests are designed to detect substances that have long-acting effects, such as blood-doping drugs, but that are not typically administered close to a race.

The Jockey Club announced at its annual Round Table Conference in 2013 that it would budget $500,000 over two years to be used by racetracks to conduct the tests. According to The Jockey Club, racetracks in California, Kentucky, Florida, New York, and Ontario applied for reimbursement from the fund last year.

Bob Curran, a spokesman for The Jockey Club, said the total amount reimbursed by The Jockey Club to racetracks last year was approximately $100,000.