Weekly Rulings: August 15-21

Every week, the TDN posts a round-up of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

Among this week's rulings, trainer Odin Londono has been suspended for 18 months and fined $12,500 as a result of his trainee Private Drive testing positive for Diisopropylamine, a banned substance, when winning at Mahoning Valley Feb. 14 this year.

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) classifies Diisopropylamine as a vasodilator, which is a substance that dilates the blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely through them. Diisopropylamine is also found in several everyday items like tobacco and beauty products, and hand sanitizer.

Veteran trainer Nancy Summers has been suspended 45 days and fined $1,000 due to what an internal adjudication panel describes as “many instances of miscommunication” between Summers and HIWU investigators about the whereabouts of her truck.

In short, on Jan. 17 HIWU investigators conducted a search of Summers's Sunland Park barn, at the end of which, they asked to search her personal vehicle. Summer told them her vehicle was not there, the panel writes.

Later that day, however, the investigators saw Summers drive away from the barn in a white pick-up truck–what led to the crossed lines of communication. It eventually transpired that Summers's driver and handyman Jeff Hawkins had taken the truck to Home Depot to purchase materials for Summers during the time of the barn search, before later dropping the truck off, according to the adjudication panel.

“Based on the information provided to this panel, it is fair to determine that Ms. Summers bears no significant fault or negligence and that her overall testimonies, evidence, character references, and previous history as a Thoroughbred trainer are significant indicators that she was not attempting to be intentionally deceitful to HIWU investigators,” the panel writes.

Indeed, the panel notes that Summers “had previously never been sanctioned for a medication violation or a possession of prohibited substance violation.”

The panel added, however, faults Summers for “failing to provide complete information” to investigators. “Specifically, Ms. Summers should have been more forthcoming regarding Mr. Hawkin's significant involvement when asked about the whereabouts of her truck on March 20th 2024.”

NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the HIWU “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 08/19/2024
Licensee: Lynn Rarick, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on August 20, 2024; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Calzone, who won at Canterbury Downs on 7/4/23.

Date: 08/16/2024
Licensee: Angel Sanchez Pinero, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Camphor— Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Brother Showtyme on 7/18/24.

Date: 08/16/2024
Licensee: Dan Ward, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Kobla Mas on 7/4/24.

Date: 08/15/2024
Licensee: Ralph D'Alessandro, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone— Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Production Credit, who won at Finger Lakes on 6/12/24.

Date: 08/15/2024
Licensee: Billy Christian, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Treated as 1 violation with Olivian under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acetaminophen (Paracetamol)—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Abraaj Mirage, who won at Emerald Downs on 6/28/24, and in a sample taken from Olivian, who won at Emerald Downs on 6/9/24.

Date: 08/15/2024
Licensee: Shawna Christian, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acetaminophen (Paracetamol)—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Rhodium Runner, who won at Emerald Downs on 6/2/24.

Date: 08/14/2024
Licensee: Nancy Summers, trainer
Penalty: 45-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on August 15, 2024; a fine of $1,000. Final decision by Internal Adjudication Panel.
Explainer: Refusal/failure to cooperate promptly and completely with HISA/HIWU under the ADMC Program Rules.

Date: 08/14/2024
Licensee: Odin Londono, trainer
Penalty: 18-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 10, 2024; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $12,500. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Diisopropylamine—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Private Drive, who won at Mahoning Valley on 2/14/24.

Pending ADMC Violations
08/20/2024, Richard Sillaman, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Levisa on 7/21/24.
08/20/2024, Luis Duco, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—Class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Dulce Ambicion on 7/16/24.
08/19/2024, John Shirreffs, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Momad on 7/15/24.
08/15/2024, Gerald Butler, trainer: Provisional suspension for the possession of a banned substance; Two acts of retaliation and threats/intimidation.

Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.
Hawthorne
Alex Centeno – violation date August 15; $250 fine and one-day suspension

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Joseph Romero – violation date August 19; $250 fine and one-day suspension

Santa Rosa
Santos Rivera – violation date August 16; $250 fine and one-day suspension

Saratoga
Joe Bealmear – violation date August 16; $500 fine and one-day suspension