Todd Fincher has been a horse trainer for 14 years and used to be a jockey. He spoke with KFOX14 about his reaction to a New York Times article on the dangers
of horse racing, blasting New Mexico for its poor safety record.

"There's some truth to everything in the article," Fincher said. "They need to be stricter."

The article said that New Mexico is home to five of the six racetracks with the highest accident rates in the country.

It said that Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino has a higher number of incidents than most other racetracks and is a repeat offender.

In a 13-day period in 2010,nine horses died racing and five were hauled away injured after racing, the article said.

"If you get them out every day to train them, they won't get hurt, but if they don't come out, like, every day,they might," horse exercise rider Javier Martinez said.

Fincher said that the penalties for trainers who give drugs to their horses should be more severe.

"When somebody gets a bad test or something like that, the penalties are not strong or severe enough," Fincher said.

The New York Times article said that New Mexico cut back on drug tests for financial reasons, making it easier for trainers to get away with using the drugs.

Other states, such as Indiana, meanwhile, are much stricter and take away winnings after just one drug offense, according to the article.

Fincher said that he wants that same enforcement in the Land of Enchantment.