Udall, Pitts Introduce Bill to End Interstate Horserace Wagering

Bipartisan legislation will encourage racetracks to end widespread doping & cheating

WASHINGTON - Ahead of Saturday's Kentucky Derby, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) today introduced legislation to eliminate most wagering on horseracing, encouraging the sport to end doping and crack down on cheaters. Horseracing is the only sport specially permitted by federal law to offer online gambling and interstate betting, yet widespread corruption has stained the industry.

Chronic abuse of performance-enhancing drugs is commonplace in horseracing. Almost every horse is given race-day medication — banned in other countries — and no uniform medication rules or doping penalties exist. As the New York Times reported in 2012, doping undermines the safety and viability of the sport, and 24 horses die each week from racing injuries — an alarming fatality rate likely caused by the misuse of permitted medication and abuse of illegal drugs.

Udall and Pitts have previously introduced legislation to cleanup the sport . This new approach takes their bipartisan push to the next level by repealing the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, which permits "off-track" and online wagering. Today about 90 percent of the $11 billion wagered on horseracing comes from this type of betting in the 38 states that permit it.

"Out of sight of the spectators in the grandstand, 19 of the 20 horses competing in this year's Kentucky Derby will be injected shortly before post time," Udall said. "In 2010, a drug cartel leader allegedly fixed the world's most celebrated Quarter horse race by paying a $110,000 bribe, according to witness testimony in a federal trial. A harness trainer racked up more than 1,700 medication violations — and no one caught giving racehorses dermorphin, a painkiller forty times more powerful than morphine, has been permanently kicked out of the sport. New Mexico racetracks have some of the highest rates of horse fatalities and injuries, yet the state pays roughly $50 million into purse prizes each year. The stories go on, but the industry does little in response to scandal after scandal. It's time to crack down on corruption by ending horseracing's sweetheart gambling privileges. We must stop the abuse and restore integrity to this once-dignified sport."

"Horseracing is the Sport of Kings. Unfortunately, however, it's plagued by too many unscrupulous trainers, owners, veterinarians and other race track officials who race sickened or injured horses, pumping them full of painkillers or other performance enhancing drugs in order to try to win at all costs," Pitts said. "Despite years of promises of reform, horseracing groups have been unable to come together to develop uniform rules that protect both horses and the integrity of the sport. This legislation will end a federal exception for gambling on horseracing. Since 2008, over 7,000 race horses have died on America's racetracks. It's past time to put measures in place that protect racehorses from abuse at the track."

The bills are named after racehorses who were given drugs to race and were euthanized on the track. Udall named the Senate bill after Teller All Gone, a two-year-old Quarter horse who fell after the wire at a race in New Mexico. Pitts named the House bill after Coronado Heights, a four-year-old Thoroughbred who died racing after receiving a diagnosis of early degenerative joint disease.