Earlier this week, the letter sent to Ed Martin of the ARCI by USTA President Phil Langley was released, outlining the USTA's reasons to no longer fund the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and demand different single standards for the individual breeds racing.
If one reads the letter, the arguments made by Langley make perfect sense. Unfortunately, it also suggests the problem the standardbred industry has when it comes to doing something in conjunction with our thoroughbred cousins; the standardbred industry goes to the back of the bus, mainly considered an after thought by policy makers. Unfortunately, due to thoroughbreds being more popular where it counts with more money wagered on thoroughbred bred racing at harness tracks; even at the Meadowlands, they get away with it.
So the USTA drops funding for the RMTC because it is a thoroughbred-centric group. What's next? Unfortunately, as of now the ARCI has proposed a single medication policy for consideration by the various state racing commissions. Standardbred interests are going to have a challenge to get racing commissions who are members of the ARCI to go against, in effect, their own rules. By all means, the attempt should be made but it is going to be an uphill battle.
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