Toughens
Penalties for Quarter Horse Violations – Expands Drug Classifications
Lexington, KY, January 23, 2019 –
New racing regulatory standards have
just been published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International
(ARCI) as part of a continuing process to adapt standards to current integrity
threats as well as new technologies and innovation. The standards are embodied in the almost 500
pages of the ARCI’s Model Rules of Racing and
can be downloaded at www.arci.com
.
In addition, more than 70 previously unclassified
substances were added to the ARCI
Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances, the guiding document for horse
racing’s anti-doping and drug testing program, providing guidance to regulatory
authorities and labs as to the potential threat posed by the substance if
found. Unclassified substances, if
found, remain a violation and are treated severely if found absent mitigating
circumstances.
The
ARCI also increased recommended penalties for clenbuterol and albuterol violations
in Quarter Horse contests, recommending a one-year and $10,000 fine for a first
violation involving either drug if found at any level. This change, requested by the AQHA, is
designed to combat the abuse and misuse of these otherwise legal medications in
quarter horse contests.
In
an effort to protect horsemen, new screening limits developed by the
International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) for testosterone
(in fillies, mares, and geldings) and morphine (as a potential contaminant)
were also adopted.
“The
ARCI is appreciative for the work of those organizations that participate in
the Model Rules process and propose changes to what has been an effective and
universally accepted foundation for racing regulation,” said Ed Martin, the
group’s President. “We are particularly
grateful for the contributions made by the Racing Medication and Testing
Consortium, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, the Stronach Group, and
the American Quarter Horse Association for their work on many of the standards
that have been adopted.”
The
updated standards also include:
o
a change in the condition eligibility
determination for horses which are placed first due to an adverse laboratory
finding against the winning horse (ARCI-006-020);
o
modifications to the coupled entries rule
(ARCI-010-010);
o
a description of the duties and
authorities of outriders (ARCI-006-077);
o
an addition to the recently adopted
concussion protocol which requires jockeys to provide the results of an annual
baseline concussion assessment test as a condition of licensure (ARCI-008-030), and;
o
a set of guidelines for single pool (also
known as merged pool) pari-mutuel calculations. The guidelines will be
published as an industry advisory on the ARCI website.
Updates
to the regulatory standards are considered three times each year and pending
matters are posted at www.arcimodelrules.online
. In some jurisdictions, portions of
the ARCI standards are incorporated by reference in rule or statute, affording
them the force of law in that jurisdiction and advancing regulatory uniformity.
The
ARCI is the only umbrella organization of the official governing rule making authorities
for professional horse and greyhound racing in North America and parts of the
Caribbean. ARCI sets standards for
racing regulation, medication policy, drug testing laboratories, totalizator
systems, and racetrack operation and security, as well as for off-track
wagering entities.
