Thistledowns

The stewards at Thistledown have imposed a one-year suspension and $1,000 fine on trainer  Alejandro Murillo Rodriguez after a 2-to-5 winning favorite from his stable tested positive for metabolites of the Class 1/Penalty Category A drug Nikethamide on June 21. Murillo Rodriguez has appealed the penalties. Potentially complicating the adjudication is that the horse in question, Two Eagles (Morning Line), got claimed for $7,500 out of that sprint victory against fellow Ohio-breds. Two Eagles subsequently started and ran fifth for new connections on July 18. The stewards did note in...

Puerto Rican native Luis M. Quinones, America's second leading rider by races won in 2019, has been selected the winner of the 2020 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. Given annually by Santa Anita since 1950, the award will be presented to Quinones in a winner's circle ceremony Mar. 22. Quinones, who competes along the midwest and southern racing circuit--including Ohio's Mahoning Valley Racecourse and Thistledown and Mountaineer Park in West Virginia--outpolled five finalists: veteran riders Tyler Baze, Javier Castellano, Chris Emigh and James Graham. "It's a great honor just to...