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Decision on Trainer Rice's License Could be Made May 17

New York State Gaming Commission to consider hearing officer's recommendation.

Linda Rice

Linda Rice

Coglianese Photos

The New York State Gaming Commission has a full range of business for its monthly meeting May 17, including a likely decision whether trainer Linda Rice's license should be suspended or possibly revoked for alleged "actions inconsistent with and detrimental to" the best interest of racing.

Several items regarding equine drugs, including regulation of Clenbuterol and a further tweaking of race-day Lasix restrictions, are also on the state regulatory commission's calendar for Monday.

The commission will consider state hearing officer Clark Petschek's recommendation on the Rice matter, which involve allegations she obtained names of horses entered in New York Racing Association races prior to entries being closed.

Rice has denied wrongdoing; her attorney did not respond to an email request seeking comment on Friday. 

State gaming commission officials declined to provide information about recommendations by Petschek, who last December heard seven days of testimony from Rice and her defenders as well as the state's case against her.

Rice has been a trainer for 35 years. In 2018, the Daily Racing Form first reported that Rice allegedly made payments to NYRA officials in order to obtain race entry information. The gaming commission could suspend or permanently revoke her license and fine her up to $25,000 for each violation.

The allegations by the gaming commission against Rice said she received "regular, continual, and improper access" in advance of names of horses running in a number of races, giving her an advantage. The agency last year said she violated three different state laws or rules.

The alleged incidents occurred between 2011 and the spring of 2015 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Previously, the gaming commission revoked the license of former NYRA clocker Stephen Foster. Jockey agent Mike Gonzalez was arrested in 2016 for alleged computer trespassing; his license was revoked in 2017.

On the gaming commission's schedule for Monday, the Rice matter is listed under the heading "adjudications."