PoliticsNY is excited to introduce the first Inside Government special edition, Inside Government: Racing, Gaming & Wagering. This special edition features the public officials shaping New York’s racing, gaming and wagering landscape. Today’s Q&A is with Sarah Klein. Sarah Klein is director of the New York State Gaming Commission’s division of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering. This division oversees and regulates New York’s pari-mutuel wagering and harness racing.

How does the racing, gaming and wagering industry benefit New Yorkers?
New York’s racing industry employs thousands of individuals across the state and supports local and state economies, as well as farms and greenspace. Horse racing is a part of New York’s history, and with a new Belmont Park opening soon, a part of the state’s future.

What improvements would you like to see made to racing, gaming and wagering in New York?
We are always examining ways to make the sport of horse racing as safe as possible for horses, riders and drivers. Technology, such as wearable health monitors, plays an important role in equine health and safety.

How do you see new technology impacting racing, gaming and wagering in the future?
Governor Hochul and Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine recently engaged in a comprehensive three-year study to improve detection of Thoroughbred racehorse injuries. Data will be provided by horses seen at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists equine hospital, which is located next to Belmont Park. The study, funded by New York State and NYRA, seeks to build upon previous international research and the ongoing industry goal to prevent fatal musculoskeletal injuries.

What is a recent change to the racing, gaming and wagering industry that you are excited about?
The redeveloped Belmont Park will revolutionize New York’s thoroughbred racing with nearly half a billion dollars in investment for new track surfaces to accommodate full-year training, improved backstretch living conditions for the dedicated individuals who care for the horses year round and more.

What influenced you to join this industry?
I grew up around horses and fell in love with them from a very young age. I not only got to compete in a different equestrian sport, but had the great experience of teaching kids horseback riding lessons at a summer camp in the Catskills, before attending law school, where I was given the opportunity to be one of the first students to undertake a new concentration focusing on equine, racing and gaming law.