Tom Udall

This may be a tangent--a slight tangent, more accurately.

Thank you for focusing in on this. I think this is a tremendously important issue.

But clearly, most of your regulators, are they not appointed by the Governor?

I just don't buy the resource side of this when you have $50 million in subsidies.

I think if we start with those principles of this Racing Improvement Act that we've got here--banning race-day meds, three strikes and you're out, and making sure that we had horses tested--that we would really come a long way toward…

What we're trying to do is set a national standard and then put it back on the racing commissions.

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth puts on its boots.

I know my home state very well--$50 million that goes into the purses.

I fully support this legislation and its attachment of the condition of drug-free horse racing to the existing Interstate Horseracing Act.

Now is the time to move forward and clean it up.

The states subsidize racing to a substantial degree.

Senator Udall, thank you for holding this meeting to examine issues surrounding your proposal, Senate Bill 886, and for giving me the opportunity to participate.

Well, that's encouraging. That's encouraging to hear.

I fully support the American Quarter Horse Association's stance on Clenbuterol.

We need this legislation to end the prevalent injury-masking and performance-enhancing drugging of horses because the horse racing industry has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to regulate itself.

It takes scores of rule violations before a trainer gets a 10-year suspension.

Should anyone with multiple milkshaking violations be allowed to compete in the first place?

A track veterinarian testified to a congressional committee that trainers frequently asked her to provide drugs for improper purposes.

Racing used to be the most popular thing in America, in terms of a spectator sport. But it's hurting now.

The time to act on all measures is now.

I think these jobs are threatened if you have a dirty industry.

I think when Mr. Irwin was running a horse in the Kentucky Derby, the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2011, his was the only trainer in the entire race that didn't have violations.

Thank you, Senator Thune. Thank you very much.

I think that they should back off on the levels even for the normal drugs like Butazolidin.

Yes. And so the Governor working with the regulators I think would take a positive step here.