Jorge Navarro

Jorge Navarro, among the 27 individuals indicted Monday by the District Attorney for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan for doping horses, had become the go-to trainer for many harness racing horsemen who dabbled in thoroughbred racing. Including Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby), who was owned by prominent harness breeders and owners Al and Michelle Crawford, Navarro trained a number of horses for people involved in the standardbred game. According to the indictment, Navarro's ties to several of those individuals involved far more than the typical client-trainer relationship. Harness trainers...

Thirty-six years ago, I was dispatched to cover the annual gathering of the Association of Racing Commissioners (now ARCI). I had been covering Thoroughbred racing and breeding full-time for all of about three months. That night I found myself sitting at dinner with the head of a state testing lab. "I listened to the session on uniform medication," I told him. "Seems logical." "Never happen," he said matter-of-factly. "Every state has its own racing commission. Every state has its own testing procedures. No one wants to let go of that."...

Seven trainers, including two of the biggest names in the sport in Jason Servis and Jorge Navarro, are among 27 individuals indicted for doping horses. The scheme involves Eclipse Award winner Maximum Security (New Year's Day), G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner X Y Jet (Kantharos), exotic drugs you've never heard of and the killing of horses to hide the evidence. It does not get any uglier. With this, coming on top of the breakdowns and fatalities at Santa Anita, many were left to wonder if the sport can survive another...

Premier Star (c, 3, Tapiture-Letthetigerparty, by Hold That Tiger) drifted some down the lane, but ran on nicely to handle next out 'TDN Rising Star' Caracaro (Uncle Mo) going seven furlongs on debut at Gulfstream Dec. 8. The chestnut followed suit and earned a 'Rising Star' badge of his own by making it a perfect two-for-two in a first-level optional claimer in Hallandale Wednesday. Facing only five rivals, the 1-5 favorite quickly established control and was unchallenged while on the engine through fractions of :22.49 and :45.00. He let it...

X Y Jet (Kantharos), winner of the G1 Golden Shaheen last March, died of a heart attack Wednesday morning, according to Jorge Navarro. He was eight years old. Navarro issued the statement via his website jorgenavarroracingstable.com. "Since his arrival at my stable at the end of 2014, I immediately felt that connection with him, which remained until today and will surely remain with me until the day of my departure," said Navarro. Initially trained by Antonio Sano, the grey was gelded after joining Navarro in the winter of 2014 and...