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

Lexington, KY — On Friday, March 25, a Stewards Advisory Committee forum will take place at the RCI annual conference being held in New Orleans to enhance the understanding of the thought process that goes into “judgment calls” by stewards.

“We are very pleased to partner in this effort with the Racing Officials Accreditation Program and believe that the public is best served by regulators who are thoroughly familiar with all issues that enter into the decisions made in the stewards stand,” said RCI President Ed Martin.

The session will occur at 10:30 a.m. at the La Pavillon Hotel, located at 833 Poydras Street, New Orleans, La., and will be coordinated by Frank Lamb, former executive director of the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission; Eddie Arroyo, senior state steward for the Illinois Racing Board; and Larry Munster, the assistant executive director of the Louisiana State Racing Commission.

“Our accredited stewards are an essential strength of the racing regulatory system and RCI, as an active participant and supporter of ROAP, works to ensure that commissions have the tools they need to assess performance and ensure that the proper calls are being made,” Martin noted.

The Stewards Advisory Committee functions as a joint committee of both the RCI and ROAP and identifies issues of common concern and also provides a forum for stewards to discuss how to ensure that integrity concerns are addressed and proper safeguards to protect the fans are in place.

The RCI forum will feature a review of tapes from individual races where there have been issues such as breaking from the gate, interference, or other potential fouls that affect a placing decision. The attendees will split into small groups of three and will be asked to assess the race and then consult with the moderators about the calls that were ultimately made and why.

“This is an opportunity for commissioners and executive directors to actually put themselves in the stewards stand and simulate the discussions that take place on a daily basis,” Martin said. In addition, ROAP Chair Stan Bowker will lead an education seminar for regulators Wednesday afternoon focusing on the role of various track-level officials as well as accreditation standards.