RCI Chair Pushes States to Act on Racehorse Drug Reforms

The outgoing chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) said it is “vitally important” racing jurisdictions adopt the National Uniform Medication Program as soon as possible.
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The outgoing chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) said it is "vitally important" racing jurisdictions adopt the National Uniform Medication Program as soon as possible.

Duncan Patterson, chairman of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, outlined the program April 1 during the Racing Officials Accreditation Program conference in Delaware. RCI president Ed Martin also addressed the group via video.

Patterson said the medication program, which includes a penalty system designed to weed out repeat offenders, should be looked at by regulators as an equine health and welfare issue. He mentioned the video recently released by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the group's related allegations of mistreatment and abuse of Thoroughbreds.

"What it has done, in my opinion, has pushed us as commissions and you as stewards to do something," Patterson said. "There is more pressure now to make things better. Most of us know 99% of horses are better taken care of than we take care of ourselves. But the perception is that horses are mistreated and abused with drugs. It's why the National Uniform Medication Program is vitally important

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Tom LaMarra, a native of New Jersey and graduate of Rutgers University, has been news editor at The Blood-Horse since 1998. After graduation he worked at newspapers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as an editor and reporter with a focus on municipal government and politics. He also worked at Daily Racing Form and Thoroughbred Times before joining The Blood-Horse. LaMarra, who has lived in Lexington since 1994, has won various writing awards and was recognized with the Old Hilltop Award for outstanding coverage of the horse racing industry. He likes to spend some of his spare time handicapping races.

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