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MAINTANANCE POSITION

Five trainers at Tucson Greyhound Park tested positive for drugs this week, closing the track for two days and shortening its racing schedule for the weekend.

Following a tip, officials with the Arizona Department of Racing tested trainers from 12 kennels Tuesday night, said Geoffrey Gonsher, the agency's director.

Five people came up positive, and "as a result there were not enough people to maintain the dogs that would be racing," Gonsher said.

The track, which is located in South Tucson, shut down for Wednesday and Thursday.

Tom Taylor, the track's general manager, declined to comment about the drug testing.

But he did say the track was open for the weekend and that it would be running nine races instead of its usual 10.

"We are on top of it," he said.

A widespread drug testing of all kennel trainers is a rare event in Arizona dog racing. In the past, Gonsher said, his department has done random sampling on trainers.

"This is the first time in my tenure that we have conducted this type of enforcement action at a dog track, and for so many individuals to test positive is a rarity in Arizona," Gonsher said.

The positive tests are just the latest incident to affect Tucson Greyhound Park. Last summer the track became mired in a scandal after more than 140 retired greyhounds disappeared.

The track had contracted with a Colorado-based hauler to deliver the dogs to adoption groups, but only a few of the dogs were ever accounted for. The hauler was later fined and his licenses were revoked in both Arizona and Colorado.

"I would not say it affects the integrity of the sport," Gonsher said of the drug test results. "I can say it's another black eye to Tucson Greyhound Park."

Susan Netboy, who runs the California-based Greyhound Protection League, said she was concerned that the impairment of trainers would put the dogs at risk.

"If you've got somebody whose judgment is impaired, and they are caring for 60 or 70 dogs, that concerns me greatly," she said.

Hearings for the five people who tested positive are scheduled next week, Gonsher said.