Meadowlands Hires Private Investigator for the Integrity of Racing

Press release from the Meadowlands:

The Meadowlands Racetrack has been proud to be home to the world’s greatest harness racing since its founding.  In addition, the racetrack takes pride in providing a racing product that is driven by integrity.  In the 2013 Racing Season, the Meadowlands Racetrack will take another booming step in providing that integrity driven product. 

The Meadowlands Racetrack is proud to announce the hiring of a private investigator who will be focused on the integrity of racing at the New Meadowlands Racetrack, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.

Chairman of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC, Jeff Gural, shared the following, “It has always been one of my top priorities to provide a racing product whose integrity the betting public can be proud of.  I feel that this step is a significant one in achieving that goal at The Meadowlands Racetrack as well as Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.  I look forward to working with our field investigator to support the world class, integrity driven racing product the betting public wants and deserves.”

Gural continued, “Our goal is to provide an integrity driven racing product at the three tracks as we continue to ensure the health and welfare of our equine athletes both on and off the track. I am personally disappointed that so far we have not been able to come up with a program where a small portion of slots money is used for testing and marketing purposes, so I will make this important first step as for me anything less than a level playing field is unacceptable.  Anyone who feels as I do and who would interested in sharing the cost of this new integrity program at the Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, should contact Jason M. Settlemoir at jsettlemoir@newmracing.com.”

An important aspect of the new field investigators duties are outlined in Section 27 of the 2013 Meadowlands Racetrack Racing Application.  Upon applying for participation to race at The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs during the 2013 meet, horsemen and trainers must grant unfettered access to Meadowlands Racetrack officers, agents or representatives, to their ship-in stalls, training facilities, etc., as discussed in Section 27 of the application.

  It reads as follows:

27. In consideration of the Meadowlands granting me the privilege of racing at Meadowlands Racetrack, I hereby appoint the Meadowlands Racetrack, its officers, agents or representatives as my agent for the limited purpose and authority to enter, without prior notice, the ship in stalls at Meadowlands Racetrack and/or any other premises, either in-state or out-of-state, including but not limited to any off-track stabling facilities, farms, training centers or other racetrack facilities, for the purpose of checking on the wellbeing and health of any racehorse listed on this application or entered in any upcoming Meadowlands race by me as trainer. Checking on the wellbeing and health of any such racehorse shall include but not be limited to the taking of blood or urine or other testing procedures by the Meadowlands officer, agent or representative.  By acknowledgement of this limited agency given by me to the Meadowlands officers, agents or representatives, I acknowledge and agree that the Meadowlands officer, agent or representative is my agent or guest or invitee and is permitted to enter any of the above mentioned premises as my agent, guest or invitee. Additionally, I agree to produce at my own cost and within 24 hours of a request by the Meadowlands officer, agent or representative, any horse listed on this application or any horse which is entered in any Meadowlands race which is under my custody and control and which I am listed as trainer of record, for the purpose of blood, urine or other testing procedures at a designated location at Meadowlands Racetrack or other location designated by the Meadowlands. In Meadowlands sole discretion and for good cause shown, this time frame can be extended at my written request. In the event of non-cooperation and failure to adhere to these conditions, I am subject to the loss of privileges to enter horses at Meadowlands Racetrack. By signing this application, I further acknowledge and agree that the grant of racing privileges at the Meadowlands Racetrack is a privilege afforded me by Meadowlands Racetrack and is not a property right.