RCI: Same Mission, New Approach on Medication

The RCI intends to take the lead role in gathering the information needed to set racehorse medication policies.
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Though the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) remains a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), it intends to take the lead role in gathering the information needed to set racehorse medication policies.

In December RCI proposed a merger with the RMTC, a group of more than 20 industry stakeholders, but the RMTC declined. Then, RCI formed a new scientific advisory committee that ultimately will make recommendations for model rules.

Ed Martin, RCI president, shed more light on the reasons for the move Feb. 7 during the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HPBA) winter convention in Carefree, Arizona. He said RCI and its racing commission members are the only "independent entities" in pari-mutuel racing with the authority to license, enforce, and adjudicate.

"The RCI remains a member of the RMTC and will continue to rely on its lab accreditation (program)," Martin said. "We will continue to take policy recommendations from the RMTC as we would any other group. An important difference is sometimes lost: The RMTC makes recommendations, not rules

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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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