Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings: Nov. 8-14

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.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

California
Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/10/2022
Licensee: Steve Knapp, trainer
Penalty: Return of horse and claim amount
Violation: Void claim
Explainer: In the matter of the claim submitted for the horse Square Deal. Having received first notice of a Prohibited Substance (methocarbamol) in the post-race test sample, pursuant to Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Rule 2262 (c)(5) (Void Claim), the claim submitted for the Horse Square Deal, in the second race on September 10, 2022, at Del Mar Race Track is hereby deemed void.

The horse, Square Deal trained by Steve Knapp, shall be returned to owners Steve Knapp and Leslie Blake, also, Steve Knapp and Leslie Blake shall return the amount of the claim of $20,000 to the paymaster at Del Mar Race Track by November 20, 2022. Furthermore, owners Steve Knapp and Leslie Blake and trainer Robert Diodoro have reached an agreement for the care and training of the horse during the time the horse was in the claimant's barn.

Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/12/2022
Licensee: Kyle Frey, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey Kyle Frey, who rode Durante in the fifth race at Del Mar Race Track on Friday, November 11, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (November 19, 20 and 24, 2022) for failure to maintain a straight course in the stretch and causing interference. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – Careless Riding).

Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/12/2022
Licensee: Ryan Curatolo, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey Ryan Curatolo, who rode Spycatcher in the seventh race at Del Mar Race Track on Friday, November 11, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (November 19, 20 and 24, 2022) for failure to maintain a straight course in the stretch and causing interference. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – Careless Riding).

Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/13/2022
Licensee: Emily Ellingwood, jockey
Penalty: One-day suspension
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Having violated the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2280 (c)(5) & (6) (Use of Riding Crop) and pursuant to Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2282 (Riding Crop Violations and Penalties – Class 3), Jockey Emily Ellingwood, who rode Beskar in the sixth race at Del Mar Race Track on November 12, 2022, is suspended for (1) day November 20, 2022, and fined $250.00 for over use of the riding crop after reaching a maximum placing.

Furthermore, Jockey Emily Ellingwood is assigned three (3) violation points that will be expunged on May 13, 2023, six (6) months from the date of final adjudication pursuant to Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2282 (Riding Crop Violations and penalties. Jockey Emily Ellingwood has accrued a total of three (3) points.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 11/08/2022
Licensee: Domenick Schettino, trainer
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Possession of an improperly prescribed medication.
Explainer: Trainer Dominick Schettino is hereby fined the sum of $1,000 for having possession of an improperly prescribed medication in his barn.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 11/09/2022
Licensee: Juan Vazquez, trainer
Penalty: Fourteen-day suspension, $2,000 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Having received a report from the NYS Gaming Commission Equine Drug Testing Laboratory of the finding of Albuterol in the post-race samples taken from horse “Esor” #3 which raced in the 8th race and finished 1st at Aqueduct Race Track on December 30th 2021. Trainer of record Mr. Juan Vazquez having been notified of the findings, requested and received a hearing before the Board of Stewards. The outcome found that trainer Mr Juan Vazquez violated commission rules 4043.4(a), and is hereby suspended fourteen days and fined the sum of $2,000. Due to a previous ruling handed down by the Pennsylvania Board of Stewards your suspension will commence January 27th 2025, through February 9th 2025 inclusive. Furthermore, the Stewards order horse “Esor” disqualified from any part of the purse and the purse redistributed as follows.

1. (#2) Alite
2. (#9) Total Effort
3. (#4) My Boy Colton
4. (#6) Raising Sand
5. (#5) Ocean Deep
6. (#7) Napoleon Complex
7. (#1) Deputies Edge

Ordered that during your period of suspension, you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New york State pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privilages and use of the grounds of all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privilages of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State, that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by any individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension: or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or assist with any aspect of the training of such horses. Suspended: 01/27/2025 to 02/09/2025 (14 days)

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 11/15/2022
Licensee: Gustavo Rodriguez, trainer
Penalty: Seven-day suspension, $1,000 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Having received a report from the NYS Gaming Commission Equine Drug Testing Laboratory of the finding of Phenylbutazone in the post-race sample taken from Horse “Ok Honey” (#7), which raced at Aqueduct Race Track in the 2nd race and finished 2nd on October 14th 2022. Trainer of record Mr. Gustavo Rodriguez having been notified of the post-race posative findings and having waived his right to an appeal, is hereby fined the sum of $1,000 and suspended 7 Calandar days effective Sunday November 20th 20022, through Saturday November 26th 2022, inclusive. Furthermore, the Stewards order horse “Ok Honey” disqualified from any part of the purse and the purse redistributed as follows:

1. (#6) Quality Stones
2. (#2) She's a Black Belt
3. (#4) Alarm Clock
4. (#3) Shadolamo
5. (#1) Alpine Queen

Ordered that during your period of suspension, you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New York State Pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privilages and use of the grounds of all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privilages of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State, that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension: or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train, enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or assist with any aspect of the training of such horses. Suspended: 11/20/2022 to 11/26/2022 (7 days)

NEW HISA STEWARDS RULINGS

HISA has recently launched its “rulings” portal, with more detailed information about the ruling decisions than has previously been made available.

HISA has shared in emails the following rulings over the past week, though some of them originate from prior weeks.
Where possible, we have added to the rulings listed below additional information from the new portal. Where we haven't, the “ruling date” corresponds to the date that rulings documentation was submitted to HISA.

When it comes to violations of the crop rule, it is important to note that HISA has established a rule limiting whip use to six strikes during a race.

Violations of Crop Rule
Aqueduct
Nik Juarez – ruling date November 5, 2022
Tamay Alpander – ruling date November 6, 2022
Dylan Davis – violation date November 10, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension, seven strikes

Charles Town Races and Slots
Alexis Rios Condre – ruling date November 10, 2022
Victor Rodriguez – ruling date November 10, 2022

Churchill Downs
Joseph M. Johnson – ruling date November 6, 2022
Joseph Johnson – ruling date November 10, 2022
Francisco Arrieta – violation date November 10, 2022; suspended 7 Kentucky racing days, November 19, November 20 and November 23 through November 27, 2022 (inclusive) due to multiple crop violation rulings.

Finger Lakes
Jeremias Flores – violation date November 08, 2022; $250 fine, eight strikes

Golden Gate Fields
Irving Orozco – ruling date November 11, 2022

Gulfstream Park
Wladimir Enrique Rengifo – violation date November 13, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension (on 11-20-22), eight strikes
Edgardo Zayas – violation date November 14, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension (on 12-01-22), seven strikes

Hawthorne
Jose Lopez – ruling date November 6, 2022

Keeneland
Joel Rosario – ruling date November 9, 2022

Mahoning Valley
Andrew Ramgeet – ruling date November 10, 2022

Mountaineer Park
Yuri Yaranga – violation date November 08, 2022; $250 fine, wrist over helmet
Marco Ccamaque – violation date November 13, 2022; $250 fine, wrist above helmet
Jose Davila – ruling date November 11, 2022 – Race 3
Jose Davila – ruling date November 11, 2022 – Race 4
Fernando Salazar Becarra – ruling date November 11, 2022

Remington Park
Jose Carlos Montalvo – ruling date November 10, 2022
Jose Alvarez – violation date November 11, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension (on 11-22-22), seven strikes
Anardis Rodriguez – violation date November 14, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension (on 11-21-22), seven strikes

Zia Park
Oscar Ceballos – violation date November 14, 2022; $250 fine, one-day suspension (on 11-26-22), seven strikes

Voided Claims
Churchill Downs
She'll Never Know – ruling date November 3, 2022
Loma Vista – ruling date November 3, 2022

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Rockin All Night – ruling date November 9, 2022

Parx Racing
Soupster – ruling date November 8, 2022

Turf Paradise
Wedding Chapel – ruling date November 14, 2022

Violations involving Suspension or Redistribution of Purse

Churchill Downs
Francisco Arrieta – 7-day suspension; multiple violations resulting in point accumulation warranting suspension for 7 days pursuant to HISA Rule 2283

Charles Town Races and Slots
Victor Rodriguez – excess strikes; $500 fine; 3-day suspension; 5 points; purse redistribution

Mountaineer Park
Fernando Salazar Becarra: ten strikes; $500 fine; 3-day suspension; 5 points; purse redistribution; ruling date November 11, 2022

Finger Lakes
John Ramon Davila: ten strikes; $500 fine; 3-day suspension; 5 points; purse redistribution; ruling date November 3, 2022

Appeal Request Updates
Finger Lakes
Brian M. Culnan and Clifford E. Lawrence, Jr. (owner of Kodiak Brown, ridden by John Ramon Davila)
Crop rule violation
Ruling date November 3, 2022
Appeal filed November 10, 2022
No stay requested