NM racing panel concerned with enforcement backlog

Regulators who oversee New Mexico's horse racing industry said Tuesday they are grappling with a significant enforcement backlog after adopting tougher sanctions and boosting testing for illicit drugs. Racing Commission Director Vince Mares told members of the Legislative Finance Committee it could take until mid-2016 for the panel to clear its backlog of cases against owners and trainers accused of violating state racing and doping rules. The bottleneck comes when cases are challenged in court, a process that can take a year, Mares said. Defendants are often granted the right to keep racing while the findings are appealed, and he said that has created the perception that the state isn't doing anything to crack down on cheaters. "These trainers and owners are still running their horses. The perception that nothing is being done is a valid perception, but it's beyond the commission's control," he said. Lawmakers and racing officials discussed the possibility of hiring a dedicated attorney to handle the commission's cases rather than funneling prosecutorial duties through the state attorney general's office. Another option would be classifying a first offense as a misdemeanor, which would clear the way for local district attorneys and judges to handle the cases...more