Citing policy differences, CHRB withdraws from ARCI

ARCADIA, Calif. – The California Horse Racing Board voted unanimously to withdraw from the Association of Racing Commissioners International organization on Thursday, stating that recently implemented rules in California reflect a “dramatic” change between the state’s racing policies and that of other jurisdictions.

In recent months, California has enacted stringent medication and inspection rules for horses entered to train or race following a series of equine fatalities at Santa Anita since late December.

“Over the years, things have changed. In the last several months, racing in California has changed dramatically,” racing board executive director Rick Baedeker said.

“We have moved rapidly and arguably in a different direction than the current RCI.”

Baedeker cited California racing board decisions to reduce the raceday use of the anti-bleeder medication Lasix and eliminate the authorized thresholds for anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids in advance of races as two policies California has enacted that differ from RCI policies. He mentioned a proposal to eliminate Lasix in 2-year-old races beginning in 2020, and discussions about limiting the use of whips, as other regulatory differences.

“The RCI has been vocal in support of current use of Lasix and that is at odds with the direction this board has gone recently,” he said. “There are some contradictions that the board needs to be aware of.”

Baedeker added that the loss of a permanent seat for California on the RCI’s board of directors was a contributing factor in bringing the state’s withdrawal from the RCI to a vote.

Ed Martin, president of ARCI, said the composition of the organization’s board of directors is under review, and urged the racing board to remain.

“Not everyone is going to agree 100 percent, but there is no reason to end the marriage,” Martin said.

There is a possibility California could rejoin the ARCI, according to chairman Chuck Winner.

“If we were going to make a decision to withdraw and ARCI catches up with what we’re doing, we could always rejoin, one assumes,” he said.

The issue was the subject of minimal debate for being approved, 4-0.

The ARCI discussion occurred at the beginning of a three-hour public meeting that focused largely on issues of horse safety. More than an hour of the meeting consisted of comments from members of the public, as well as prominent owner and breeder Frank Stronach, on horse safety.

Stronach’s family owns Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, but he does not control the day-to-day affairs of the track, which is run by his daughter, Belinda. Speaking for four minutes during the public comment portion of the meeting, Stronach reiterated some subjects he discussed a public meeting at a hotel near Santa Anita last month, stating the tracks should be placed in a trust to ensure their continuity as racetracks and prevent development.

Several commentators, many of whom had spoken at recent racing board meetings, called on the racing board to cease racing following 29 equine fatalities at Santa Anita since December.

Simultaneous to the racing board’s meeting a group of backstretch employees at Santa Anita conducted a trackside press conference, stressing their commitments to the care and wellbeing of horses and how the loss of racing would have a devastating impact on their livelihoods.