Dr. Camille McArdle Appointed Chair Of Minnesota Racing Commission

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently appointed longtime commissioner Camille McArdle, DVM, as the new chair of the Minnesota Racing Commission (“MRC”). Dr. McArdle replaces James S. Lane, III, who announced his retirement from the MRC at the conclusion of his term.

“Having been involved with pari-mutuel racing in Minnesota since 1985 I feel a certain degree of protectiveness toward this industry. I and my fellow Commissioners will always strive to ensure that horse racing in this state continues to be a quality and ethical experience for all participants,” said McArdle, who brings a rich history of involvement in the racing industry in Minnesota, both as a practicing veterinarian and as a racing regulator.

After earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine from The Ohio State University in 1982, Dr. McArdle worked as a regulatory veterinarian in Florida before relocating to Minnesota, serving as the first Chief Commission Veterinarian for the MRC. Dr. McArdle was appointed to the MRC in 1993 and has served as a valuable member of the commission since then.

Dr. McArdle replaces James S. Lane, III, who served on the commission since 2009 and as chair for the past two years.

“I cannot thank Chair Lane enough for his service and leadership of the Minnesota Racing Commission over the past 12 years. He has guided the MRC and the horse racing industry in Minnesota through many challenges with integrity and honor, and he has left the commission in a strong position going forward,” said Executive Director, Steve May.

Governor Walz also announced the reappointment of Commissioners Barbara Colombo and Raymond Dehn to new six-year positions. Commissioner Colombo is a graduate of the William Mitchell School of Law, and she currently serves as a professor and director of the Healthcare Compliance Certification Program at the Mitchell Hamline University School of Law. Commissioner Dehn served Minnesota as a State Legislator for eight years and his community, serving as co-facilitator of the Northside Transportation Network among other honorable community efforts. Commissioner Dehn has also served as president of the American Institute of Architecture Students and has twice served on the National Board of the American Institute of Architects.

About the Minnesota Racing Commission
The Minnesota Racing Commission operates in the public interest to ensure the integrity of horse racing and card playing, to oversee the proper distribution of funds back into the industry, and to provide for the safety and welfare of the human and equine participants. The Commission works to promote the horse racing and breeding industry in Minnesota in order to provide economic stimulus, offer residents and visitors an exciting entertainment option, and support agriculture and rural agribusiness. Visit www.mrc.state.mn.us for more information.

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Minnesota Stewards Issue First Fines For Non-Compliance With COVID-19 Protocols At Canterbury

The Minnesota Racing Commission has followed through on executive director Steve May's promise to fine individuals for failure to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, according to rulings on the MRC website.

In a letter to Canterbury Park and the Minnesota HBPA dated July 8, May instructed  MRC investigators and staff, Canterbury Park staff, and any licensee to report the name and badge number of any licensed individual that is not complying with COVID-19 protocols while at Canterbury Park to Board of Stewards. He also instructed the Board of Stewards to begin issuing civil fines for non-compliance with these protocols, beginning at $100 and escalating for repeated violations.

As of July 22, the MRC has issued nine $100 fines for violations of COVID-19 policy at Canterbury Park. The violations include failure to wear color-coded wristbands (to ensure that individuals have undergone a temperature and symptom check each day at the racetrack), proper nose and mouth coverage by a mask, and jockeys removing their masks in the winner's circle.

“I do not believe that I need to remind anyone that failure to adhere to COVID-19 protocols has led to the closure of at least two pari-mutuel racetracks throughout the United States that had previously been allowed to operate with protocols in place,” May wrote in his July 8 letter. “But I still rest assured that Minnesota's pari-mutuel racetracks can continue to offer a safe, secure facility for the horsepeople, the teams at Canterbury Park and the MRC, and most importantly the patrons visiting the racetrack. This is only possible with strict compliance to the COVID-19 protocols that have been thoroughly researched and developed with all parties in mind.”

The rulings are available at the MRC website.

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Discovery of ‘Buzzer,’ Gun Lead To Summary Suspension Of Canterbury Park Jockey

Jockey Denny Velazquez has been summarily suspended by the Minnesota Racing Commission after a prohibited electrical device and a firearm allegedly were discovered during a vehicle search by racing commission personnel on Monday at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.

Velazquez, 26, is currently third in the jockey standings at Canterbury, with 20 wins from 90 mounts. Prior to riding at the Minnesota track, Velazquez finished third in the rider standings at Turf Paradise in Arizona, where he won 56 races from 379 mounts during the 2019-'20 meet.

A hearing with the board of stewards at Canterbury Park is tentatively scheduled for July 30. Until his appearance Velazquez is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Minnesota Racing Commission.

Cited in the ruling issued on Wednesday was Minnesota statute 240.25/Prohibited Acts, which reads in part: “No person may: (a) on the premises of a licensed racetrack use, possess, or knowingly assist another person in using a battery or buzzer, electrical or mechanical, or other device or appliance, which can be  used to affect a horse's racing condition or performance, other than an ordinary whip.

The ruling also cited Minnesota rules concerning possession of a firearm on association grounds and carrying a weapon without a permit.

Steve May, executive director of the Minnesota Racing Commission, said animal cruelty criminal charges also may come in to play in the matter.

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