The New Mexico Racing Commission wants to change its regulations to make the actual horse trainers responsible for the animals.
The current rule allows trainers to transfer responsibility to another person when they're not at the track on race day. It was meant to give them a way to run their horses when they were sick, for example.
But the commission's executive director, Vince Mares, tells the Albuquerque Journal that the rule is being abused.
Mares says the biggest problem is with trainers whose licenses are sanctioned and put the horse in a family member's name.
The New Mexico Horsemen's Association says the rule needs to be preserved because of overlapping live race meets.
The commission likely will consider the change at its Aug. 23 meeting.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.