from Racing Commissioners International

Lexington, KY — The Director of the Colorado Division of Racing Events, Daniel J. Hartman, has officially taken the reins of the Association of Racing Commissioners International as its new Chair.

RCI members from across North America are gathered in Lexington, Kentucky this week for their annual meeting and Hartman formally stepped into the Association’s highest position Monday. Hartman replaces Erin Owens, the immediate past Chair of the Arizona Racing Commission.

“RCI plays a pivotal role in racing through our Model Rules, drug classifications, and creative initiatives to achieve uniformity through an interstate compact,” Hartman said. “It is my hope and intent to continue to raise the bar for regulators by involving commission attorneys and investigators in our efforts to better coordinate regulatory policy.”

“Dan is one of the most knowledgeable, thorough, and committed professionals in the business of racing regulation,” RCI President Ed Martin said. “He not only understands horse racing, but is intimately familiar with greyhound racing, having spent years in the trenches of the industry.”

Hartman has regulated racing in the State of Colorado for 17 years. Prior to that he was general manager of the former Black Hills Greyhound Track in Rapid City, South Dakota and served as the director of racing at Waterloo Greyhound Park in Waterloo, Iowa. He is a past member of the Board of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association as well as past president of the North American Pari-Mutuel Regulators Association.

Hartman was one of the team that successfully negotiated the reunification of NAPRA and RCI in 2005 and has served on the RCI Board of Directors ever since.

Dan is the son of Arden Hartman, an inductee in the Greyhound Racing Hall of Fame and former President of the AGTOA and International Greyhound Track Operators Association. He is married (Christine) and has two children.