Association of Racing Commissioners International has new chair in Patterson

Duncan Patterson, the chairman of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, has been named chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, replacing John Sabini, who resigned the position last week.

Patterson is a longtime member of the Delaware racing commission who is also a former Thoroughbred trainer. He will serve as chairman of the RCI though the spring of 2014, the RCI said.

The RCI, which is an umbrella group for U.S. racing commissions, is in the process of seeking the adoption of a set of uniform medication rules in all 38 U.S. racing jurisdictions. In the past, Patterson has served as the chairman of the RCI’s Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee and as a member of its Model Rules Committee.

Sabini, the former chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, resigned on Friday after leaving his post at the New York board to form a private lobbying group. Sabini is a former New York state legislator.