RMTC

The Honorable Sandra J. Feuerstein of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued an order staying the administrative hearing of the New York State Gaming Commission against Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott for alleged overages of therapeutic medication, Mott’s attorney Andrew Mollica announced in a press release Tuesday. Mr. Mott has sued Commission members, employees and the state’s equine testing lab for violating his civil rights as a Commission licensee pursuant to what is commonly referred to as a federal “1983” action. In his suit, Mott raises the issue that the Commission and its predecessor, the New York State Racing & Wagering Board, routinely and consistently deny licensees accused of drug offenses and legitimate medication overages the right to split sample collection and independent referee testing.

In fact, in just the last two years, blood samples were denied to numerous accused licensees under the premise that, after the state’s own testing was completed, “not enough” blood was left over to send to one such referee lab. Mott was denied independent testing of the blood sample extracted from the subject horse.

“The Judge had legitimate questions as it related to the Commission’s practices in its sample collection, and ordered the attorneys for all parties to brief the issue and be back in court in June,” said Mollica.

The commission hearing scheduled for May 6 has now been stayed indefinitely. The court issued a briefing schedule with a return to court date of June 29.