Lexington, KY - The
Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) is in the process of
analyzing the full impact of the Barr/Tonko proposal announced
today. In response to media requests for an immediate reaction,
ARCI President Ed Martin issued the following statement:
“The ARCI is unanimous in its
opposition to shielding racing regulatory authority from public accountability by
putting it in the hands of a private organization.
“We also note that the proposal
provides absolutely no federal resources and not one cent of existing federal
anti-doping monies to assist in chasing those who would dope horses.
“We find it ironic that many of the
featured speakers at The Jockey Club’s recent Welfare and Safety of the
Racehorse Summit who have been instrumental in the development and
implementation of regulatory policy - racing commission experts like Dr. Mary
Scollay, Dr. Rick Arthur, and Dr. Scott Palmer - would all be shut out or
severely diminished under this proposal.
“Equine welfare and medication policy
should not be put in the hands of an entity with no experience with such
matters and no veterinarian involvement. We strongly oppose
the politicization of racing medication policies and are concerned that equine
welfare policies will be trampled should this be enacted.”
