by Tom LaMarra, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Columbus, OH — More money will be coming out of purses to pay for equine drug testing in Ohio effective July 1 under a resolution adopted by the Ohio State Racing Commission on Thursday (June 27).

The Ohio Revised Code requires the cost of one drug test per race to be deducted from purses. Currently, $54.50 is taken from purses for Standardbred racing.

From July 1-Oct. 31 of this year, the deduction will increase to $70 per race; from Nov. 1-Feb. 28, 2014, it will be $100 per race; and from March 1-June 30 next year, the amount will be $130, according to the resolution.

Effective July 1, 2014, the deduction will be an average of actual testing costs in 2013.

The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association did not object to the increase.

For the last fiscal year, equine drug testing cost about $1 million, the commission reported.