Changes Allow for Stiffer Drug Violation Sanctions

An Association of Racing Commissioners International change to its model rules calls for stewards in Thoroughbred racing to have the ability to disqualify a horse and deny a purse for lower-ranking medication violations.

The ARCI board of directors has approved updated model rules that will add this flexibility for stewards. Some member states will automatically update their rules to the new standard while other member states are encouraged to adopt the rule.

Under the model rule change, stewards will now be able to consider mitigating factors in deciding whether to deny a purse for violations involving substances requiring a "Class C" penalty on the Uniform Classification of Foreign Substances. Consideration of mitigating circumstances has long been permitted for Class B penalty violations, considered more serious, and this change extends current policy to lesser offenses, in terms of the UCFS.  

"We modified the recommended penalty for Class C violations to mirror Class B violations, by giving greater discretion to the stewards to take a purse," said ARCI president Ed Martin. "It was an inconsistency, and in fairness we thought this would be a better way to approach it. ... We extended that ability to take a purse (as a sanction) to Class C."

More changes could be in store as the board voted to conduct an overall review of the recommended penalty guidelines for medication and doping violations.   

"Some have argued that the recommended penalties may not be tough enough for the most egregious violations or that isolated minor offenses are treated too harshly," Martin said. "This has not been examined in depth for many years and the board believes this review is overdue."

RCI chair Jeff Colliton, chairman of the Washington Racing Commission, assigned the task to the Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee. Committee chairman Duncan Patterson, chairman of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, will coordinate that review in consultation with committee members and industry representatives.

In other actions, the ARCI:

• Voted NOT to modify its existing rule requiring the independent third party administration of furosemide. Some states, such as Minnesota and Colorado, have adopted an alternate approach and a proposal was considered, but rejected, to include those approaches in the Model Rules; 
• Affirmed the policy of assigning four (4) Multiple Medication Violation (MMV) points for carbon-dioxide (TCO2) violations;
• Amended the model rule to reflect the current policy in Kentucky giving greater flexibility to tracks in determining payouts for Pick N/Position X wagers;
• Approved preliminary changes to strengthen the rule concerning the use of the riding crop with final adoption and publication contingent on a clear definition of the term "chance to respond" in order to provide clarification/direction to stewards in determining a violation.
• Neither the Model Rules Committee or the ARCI Board took action on a proposal to amend the rules regarding the control of estrus in female greyhounds.