A major proponent for national uniform medication rules said Sept. 26 the move by the United States Trotting Association (USTA) to drop out of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) won’t derail the effort.

The USTA Executive Committee also voted unanimously to reject the model medication rules approved by the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

"The effort moves forward," said Alan Foreman, chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which is a member of the RMTC. "Not one time in discussions the RMTC has had over the years did the Standardbred industry or the USTA object. It came from out of the blue; last week was the first time we found out there was any issue with corticosteroids and clenbuterol."

The RMTC, during its Sept. 17 meeting in Denver, Colo., voted to authorize its Scientific Advisory Committee to look into whether scientific research supports different medication rules for Standarbreds in regard to withdrawal times for clenbuterol (a bronchodilator), and corticosteroid injections. The RMTC said it took the action at the request of the USTA