Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.
Among this week's rulings and outlined in Bill Finley's story, trainer Joseph Taylor has been banned for a total of eight years and fined $100,000 after two of his horses tested positive for the banned substances Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol in June of last year.
Dalton Dieter has also been suspended for seven days after three of his trainees tested positive for the controlled substance Cannabidiol (CBD), an active ingredient in cannabis, in May of this year. Two of the horses tested positive for CBD post-race. The other positive was in a vets' list test. Dieter's suspension period began on July 17.
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: 07/16/2024
Licensee: Dalton Dieter, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on July 17, 2024; Disqualification of the Two 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 2 Penalty Points. Treated as 1 violation with Thundershook, Sir Angus and Trip to Freedom under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)–Controlled Medication (Class B)–in samples taken from Trip to Freedom, who finished second at Prairie Meadows on 5/24/24, from Thundershook, who won at Prairie Meadows on 5/27/24, and from Sir Angus on 5/23/24 (vets' list violation).
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Maximino Quinonez, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $3,000. Admission.
Explainer: Intra-articular injection within 7 days of a timed and reported workout on the horse, Highland Girl.
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Diana McClure, 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: For the presence of Triamcinolone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Arden'sluckytobe, who finished second at Laurel Park on 6/7/24.
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Eduardo Jones, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Pine Valley on 3/30/24.
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Jessica Howell, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on July 16, 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 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Sotalol–Controlled Medication (Class B)–in a sample taken from Levanter, who won at Turfway Park on 3/16/24.
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Joseph Taylor, trainer
Penalty: 4-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on July 18, 2023; 14-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on June 18, 2023; 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 $50,000. Final decision by arbitral body.
Explainer: For the presence of Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol–both banned substances–in a sample taken from Cajun Cousin, who finished second at Parx Racing on 6/18/23.
Date: 07/15/2024
Licensee: Joseph Taylor, trainer
Penalty: 4-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on July 18, 2027; 14-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on June 20, 2023; 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 $50,000. Final decision by arbitral body.
Explainer: For the presence of Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol–both banned substances–in a sample taken from Classy American, who finished second at Parx Racing on 6/20/23.
Pending ADMC Violations
07/17/2024, Ernesto Padilla-Preciado, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Dontinvademyspace on 6/21/24.
07/17/2024, Jose Gallegos, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Sofster, who finished fourth at Monmouth Park on 6/15/24.
07/16/2024, Rodolphe Brisset, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Lakota Territory on 6/3/24.
07/12/2024, Dewight Wadams, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from All About Kathern on 6/3/24.
07/12/2024, Victor Barboza, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Tiffany Gold, who won at Gulfstream Park on 5/12/24.
07/11/2024, James Gerald, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Hercules, who raced, was pulled up and ambulanced off at Churchill Downs on 6/7/24.
Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.
Colonial Downs
Victor Carrasco–violation date July 11; $500 fine and one-day suspension
Saratoga
Irad Ortiz–violation date July 13; No details available
Xavier Perez–violation date July 13; $500 fine and one-day suspension
Thistledown
Rocco Bowen–violation date July 11; $250 fine and one-day suspension
The TDN also 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 (or not) and where.
New York
Saratoga
Date: 07/14/2024
Licensee: Fernanda Verzon Varela, official veterinarian
Penalty: Racing Official (Vet) Fernanda Verzon Varela is hereby fined the sum of $500 for failing to tend to business in a professional manner necessitating a late scratch at Saratoga Racecourse on July 11th 2024 race 3.
Saratoga
Date: 07/14/2024
Licensee: Al Jimenez Rodriguez, assistant trainer
Penalty: Assistant trainer Al Jimenez Rodriguez is hereby fined the sum of $500 for failing to tend to business in a professional manner necessitating a late scratch at Saratoga Racecourse on July 11th 2024 race 3.
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