CHRB

Edited Press Release Pursuant to California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Rule 1846.6, a Postmortem Examination Review (PER) was completed on the sudden death of Medina Spirit. This process takes place for every fatality occurring at a CHRB regulated facility and is performed by a team consisting of an Official Veterinarian, a safety steward, and a member of the Board of Stewards--in this case, Dr. Alina Vale, David Neusch (safety steward), and Kim Sawyer (steward). In all cases, the PER panel strives to learn the circumstances surrounding the fatality, which involves...

The cause of GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's (Protonico) sudden death on Dec. 6 at Santa Anita remains undetermined, according to the findings of a necropsy on the horse. In a news release issued in tandem with the necropsy report Friday, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) stated that a "definitive cause of death was not established despite extensive testing." As per the CHRB news release, while omeprazole—an anti-ulcer medication—and the ubiquitous diuretic Lasix were detected in blood and urine samples, these findings were consistent with the medication report filed with CHRB...

Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s necropsy report will be released Friday at 9 a.m. PST, the California Horse Racing Board announced Thursday night. The GI Kentucky Derby winner died of an apparent heart attack following a workout Dec. 6 at Santa Anita. "The California Horse Racing Board with the cooperation of the University of California-Davis will be issuing a news release along with the Medina Spirit necropsy report at 9 a.m. to those receiving this advisory," the CHRB release said. The CHRB added that a Q&A via teleconference for credentialed news media...

The veterinary license of California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director, Jeff Blea, remains suspended pending a full administrative hearing, according to a ruling by administrative law judge Nana Chin. In a 15-page document dated Friday, Jan. 28 but posted to the Veterinary Medical Board's website Wednesday, Chin wrote that despite Blea not currently practicing veterinary medicine, this still "does not ensure" public safety. "As long as Respondent's license to practice is active, he is free to return to the practice of veterinary medicine at any time. Permitting Respondent...

In the formal hearing Friday morning of the Veterinary Medical Board's petition for an interim suspension of California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director Jeff Blea's medical license, both sides laid out their arguments. In short, the deputy attorney general Elaine Yan representing the veterinary board took a procedural defense of the petition, arguing that the allegations against Blea amount to violations of standards of practice within the veterinary community as codified in the veterinary medicine practice act. "These guidelines emphasize the importance of examinations and diagnosis," said Yan,...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 01/07/2022 Licensee: Andreas Psarras, trainer Penalty: $500 Violation: Medication violation Explainer: Trainer Andreas Psarras, who started the horse House of Targaryen, who finished fifth in the sixth race at Santa Anita Park Oct. 10, 2021, is fined $500.00 and assessed one half...

Jeff Blea, California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director, has been placed on administrative leave by UC Davis pending a formal review of his veterinary license, according to Blea's attorney, George Wallace. The story was first reported by the Los Angeles Times. The California Veterinary Medical Board last week announced that an emergency hearing had resulted in an interim suspension of Blea's veterinary license for a number of alleged offenses, including purportedly administering "dangerous drugs" to racehorses without a prior examination, without forming a diagnosis and without medical necessity....

The California Veterinary Medical Board has filed an interim suspension order against the license of Jeff Blea, the UC Davis Equine Medical Director who advises the California Horse Racing Board on matters relating to equine health and welfare. The order reads, "The allegations include prescribing, dispensing, and/or administering thyroxine and other drugs to racehorses without establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), without performing an examination, without forming a diagnosis, and without medical necessity." According to John Cherwa at the Los Angeles Times, an emergency hearing was held Dec. 24, and Administrative...

California Senator Dianne Feinstein called on the California Horse Racing Board to conduct a "thorough, transparent and independent investigation" into the death of GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) in a letter to CHRB Executive Director Scott Chaney sent from her office Monday. The letter reads: "As the California Horse Racing Board proceeds with the investigation into the jarring death of Medina Spirit, I urge you to ensure such efforts are thorough, transparent, and independent of any outside influence. Further, I ask that you provide my staff with regular...

Trainer John Sadler has been fined $5,000 by the Del Mar stewards, and has entered into a settlement agreement and mutual release with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), for "knowingly" bringing a horse into a CHRB enclosure "that had been administered bisphosphonates within previous six months," according to a ruling Friday. The horse in question--as first reported by the BloodHorse--was GISW sprinter Flagstaff (Speightstown), who was recently retired at the age of seven. Flagstaff tested positive for the bisphosphonate "clodronate" after finishing second in the 2020 GII Santa Anita...

When Nov. 29 rolls around, trainer Peter Miller, one of the most numerically powerful stables on the Southern California circuit, will embark upon a temporary hiatus from training to spend "more time with his family, focus on overall health and wellness, and pursue other interests," according to press release issued Thursday evening. While Miller's assistant, Ruben Alvarado, is expected to take over the everyday running of the barn, Miller will take on an advisory position and maintain his role as an owner, the release states. "I have been working virtually...

All samples collected from 2021 Breeders' Cup horses have been cleared by the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. All horses competing in Breeders' Cup races this past weekend at Del Mar were tested for TCO2 levels in blood. Post-race testing was performed for prohibited drugs on the first four finishers in all Breeders' Cup races and any additional random horses selected by the stewards consistent with California Horse Racing Board protocol. Post-race testing was done on both blood and urine samples. The...