New York budget proposal would fund scanning technology at Belmont

Assessments on out-of-state account-wagering companies would be used to fund the ongoing operations of “advanced imaging technology” purchased by the New York Racing Association and located at a clinic adjacent to Belmont Park under language inserted into the budget proposal from the New York State Assembly.

The budget proposal, released on Thursday, would require the New York Racing Association to make a one-time grant of $2 million to Cornell University to purchase the equipment. The ongoing operations of the equipment, according to the budget proposal, would then be funded by the assessments on wagers made by New York residents on major account-wagering companies operating in the state.

“This investment would dramatically expand the availability of highly advanced imaging technology used to identify pre-existing conditions before they result in serious equine injuries,” said Pat McKenna, vice president of communications for NYRA.

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A number of tracks have recently added PET (positron emission tomography) scanning machines and made the scans available at a subsidized cost to horsemen. Supporters of the machines say that the devices can more readily detect microfractures or lesions in bone than traditional scanning devices, such as radiography.

McKenna said that NYRA would seek to purchase both PET and CT (computer topography) machines, though he says the plan has “yet to be fully determined.”

The initial assessment on account-wagering companies “not controlled by an entity otherwise licensed or franchised in” New York would be 0.03 percent of wagers throughout 2024, capped at $1 million. After that, the assessment would rise to 0.05 percent of bets through 2029, capped at $1.75 million per year.

A statement from NYRA said that the devices would be located at the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists Clinic next to Belmont Park. “The costs to horsemen would be ‘reasonable’ to encourage use,” the statement said, citing the budget proposal’s language.

Budget negotiations in New York take place annually between leaders of the Assembly, Senate, and the governor. The negotiations are expected to pick up over the next several weeks.

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