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 (or not) and where.
The TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from the same week. These will include decisions from around the country.
CALIFORNIA
Track: Del Mar
Date: 07/27/2023
Licensee: Ed Carroll, owner
Penalty: Restoration of financial good standing
Violation: N/A
Explainer: Owner Ed Carroll (DBA: Carroll Boys Racing) having satisfied a financial complaint filed by Veterinarian Melinda Blue for $491.76, is restored to good standing and California Horse Racing Board ruling LATS Ruling #03 dated March 3, 2023, is set aside.
Track: Del Mar
Date: 07/27/2023
Licensee: Thomas Varney Reeve, owner
Penalty: Suspended license
Violation: Failure to appear for steward's hearing
Explainer: Owner Thomas Varney Reeve lll, having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Del Mar Race Track on July 26, 2023, is suspended for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1547 (Failure to Appear), pending an appearance at a hearing before the Board of Stewards to answer to charges alleging violation of CHRB rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility $486.34 to Veterinarian Melinda Blue). Suspension to commence August 3, 2023.
Track: Del Mar
Date: 07/29/2023
Licensee: Juan Hernandez, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey Juan Hernandez, who rode Wide West (IRE) in the seventh race at Del Mar Race Track on July 28, 2023, is suspended for 3 racing days (August 5, 6, and 10, 2023) for altering course without sufficient clearance in the stretch, causing interference resulting in the disqualification of his mount from sixth to seventh; a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – careless riding).
NEW YORK
Track: Saratoga
Date: 07/28/2023
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: Fourteen-day suspension and $2,000 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Mr. Jeffrey Englehart as responsible trainer under 9 NYCRR , 4043.4 (a) , violated Commission rules in that Mr. Jeffrey Englehart trained horse ” Victory Built” , that finished 2nd in the 2nd race at Aqueduct racetrack on March 11th 2023, and having received a report from the New York State Drug Testing and Research Program that a race-day blood sample taken from horse “Victory Built” had the substance Phenlybutazone present at a concentration, including an assement of the measurement uncertainty and imprecision of the quantitative threshold, in excess of 0.3 mcg/ml in plasma in violation of 9 NYCRR 4043.3 (a) (26). Having waived your right to an appeal trainer Mr. Jeffrey Englehart is hereby suspended 14 Calendar days August 3rd 2023 through August 16th 2023 inclusive and fined the sum of two thousand ($2,000) dollars.
Furthermore, horse “Victory Built” is disqualified from any part of the purse and the stewards order the purse redistributed as follows:
- # (6) Gandy Dancing
- # (2) Bronx Bomber
- # (3) Doin'ittherrightway
- # (1) Uno
- # (5) Double Shot
Track: Saratoga
Date: 07/30/2023
Licensee: Irad Ortiz, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Irad Ortiz Jr is hereby suspended three (3) NYRA racing days August 9th 2023, through August 11th 2023 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 7th race at Saratoga racecourse on July 27th 2023.
Track: Saratoga
Date: 07/30/2023
Licensee: Jose Ortiz, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Jose Ortiz is hereby suspended three (3) NYRA racing days August 9th 2023, through August 11th 2023 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 10th race at Saratoga racecourse on July 26th 2023.
NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit's “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.
This does not include the voided claim rulings which were sent to the TDN directly. Some of these rulings are from prior weeks as they were not reported contemporaneously.
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.
Violations of Crop Rule
Canterbury Park
Harry Hernandez – violation date July 26; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes
Colonial Downs
Jorge Ruiz – violation date July 27; $250 fine and one-day suspension, “excessive use of the riding crop”
Saratoga
Jose Ortiz – violation date July 26; $522.50 fine, 7 strikes
Jaime Alexis Torres – violation date July 27; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes
Pending ADMC Violations
Date: 07/20/2023
Licensee: Natalia Lynch, trainer
Penalty: Provisionally suspended
Alleged Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the possible presence or possession of Levothyroxine, a banned substance. This is a possible violation of Rule 3214 (a)—Presence of a Banned Substance or a Banned Method.
Date: 07/01/2023
Licensee: Nestor Cascallares, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Irazu, who won at Tampa Bay on 7/1/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance.
Date: 06/02/2023
Licensee: Bernard Dunham, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Albuterol—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Afandi, who finished second at Pimlico on 6/2/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance.
Date: 05/29/2023
Licensee: John Pimental, trainer
Penalty: Provisionally suspended
Alleged Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Methamphetamine—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Golovkin, who finished sixth at Monmouth Park on 5/29/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.
Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 05/31/2023
Licensee: James Acquilano, 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.
Alleged Violation: For the presence of Methocarbamol—Controlled Medication (Class C)— in a sample taken from Sabreen, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 5/31/23. This is a violation of Rule 3312–Presence of Controlled Medication Substance.
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