by Steve May, Vice President and Business Manager, Association of Racing Commissioners International

Lexington, KY — The Association of Racing Commissioners International Model Rules Committee voted unanimously today to recommend lowering the threshold of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone.

The committee acted on recommendations from the RCI Regulatory Veterinarians Committee, the RCI Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Safety Committee, the Jockey’s Guild, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

The model rule change was not without controversy as the National HBPA, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the California Thoroughbred Trainers submitted statements urging RCI not to approve the proposal. Some proposed additional research.

The proposed change will result in a lowered allowance of two micrograms of phenylbutazone per milliliter of plasma or serum, down from five micrograms as currently stated in the RCI Model Rules.

The lowered threshold is not a new idea as Maryland and Pennsylvania currently have the two microgram threshold in place.

Although the decision by the Model Rules Committee is a major step towards a lower threshold, the change will not be fully adopted as a Model Rule until it is approved by the RCI Board of Directors, which is expected to convene in early October.

For a link to the ARCI Model Rules, please visit the RCI website at www.arci.com.