Though the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) remains a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), it intends to take the lead role in gathering the information needed to set racehorse medication policies.

In December RCI proposed a merger with the RMTC, a group of more than 20 industry stakeholders, but the RMTC declined. Then, RCI formed a new scientific advisory committee that ultimately will make recommendations for model rules.

Ed Martin, RCI president, shed more light on the reasons for the move Feb. 7 during the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HPBA) winter convention in Carefree, Arizona. He said RCI and its racing commission members are the only "independent entities" in pari-mutuel racing with the authority to license, enforce, and adjudicate.

"The RCI remains a member of the RMTC and will continue to rely on its lab accreditation (program)," Martin said. "We will continue to take policy recommendations from the RMTC as we would any other group. An important difference is sometimes lost: The RMTC makes recommendations, not rules