Month: September 2023

Stakes-winning trainer Milton Pineda has been issued a suspension totaling 12 years and fines totaling $100,000 by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

The trainer had eight runners test positive for the banned substance diisopropylamine, a vasodilator, between June 2 and July 4 of this year. The rulings indicate that Pineda admitted to his rule violations and accepted the consequences; each positive test resulted in a fine of $12,500, and an 18-month period of ineligibility.

Pineda will be eligible to resume training on July 7, 2035.

The affected horses and races are as follows:

• Bella Renella, a 6-year-old mare, tested positive after winning a $20,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 2, as well as after winning a $12,500 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 18. Bella Renella has been disqualified from both wins, with purse money ordered returned.
• Flatterwithjewels tested positive after finishing second in a $12,500 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 9; the 6-year-old mare has been disqualified with purse money ordered returned. Flatterwithjewels was claimed by Flurry Racing Stables and trainer Phil D'Amato, but that claim was voided under HISA rules.
• Big Splash won a $16,000 waiver claiming event at Santa Anita on June 10, after which he tested positive. The 4-year-old gelding has since finished third in an allowance optional claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 24; the HIWU ruling disqualifies Big Splash from both the June 10 and June 24 finishes, with purse money ordered returned.
• Chollima won an $8,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 23, after which she tested positive. The 6-year-old mare has since finished second in a $12,500 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 4; the HIWU ruling disqualifies Chollima from both the June 23 and July 4 finishes, with purse money ordered returned.
• Catbernay tested positive after winning a $10,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 1. The 5-year-old gelding was disqualified with purse money ordered returned, and the ruling also lists Catbernay as provisionally suspended.
• Keep Your Coil tested positive after winning a $25,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 2. The 5-year-old mare has been disqualified with purse money ordered returned, and the ruling lists Keep Your Coil as provisionally suspended.
• Wegonahavagoodtime won a $12,500 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 4, after which he tested positive. The 4-year-old gelding has been disqualified with purse money ordered returned; the ruling also lists Wegonahavagoodtime as provisionally suspended.

According to Equibase, Pineda has been training since 2019 and has saddled a total of 49 winners, not including those listed above. He also saddled the winners of 55 races at mixed (Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets), and one Quarter Horse winner.

Since HISA/HIWU have no jurisdiction over Quarter Horse racing, whether or not Pineda will still be able to train and race Quarter Horses will be up to the individual racing jurisdictions. The trainer has not started a horse since July 4, 2023.

The post HIWU: Milton Pineda Suspended 12 Years, Fined $100,000 For Eight Banned Substance Positives appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit has suspended trainer Nevada Litfin for a total of five months and issued him a $3,500 fine, according to a ruling posted to the public disclosures section of the HIWU website.

The ruling cites the following violations on the date of Aug. 16, in regards to the horse Dominus Tecum:

• Rule 3313–Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Method and/or Controlled Medication Substance during the Race Period;
• Rule 3315(a)–Administration or Attempted Administration of a Controlled Medication Method and/or Controlled Medication Substance during the Race Period;
• Rule 3327(b)–Aggravating Circumstances;
• Rule 4220–Controlled Medication Method;
• Rule 4212–Controlled Medication Substances Prohibited During the Race Period – Acetylcysteine (Class C) and Furosemide (Class C); and
• Rule 2230–Possession of a Hypodermic Needle/Syringe.

The violations resulted in a three-month period of ineligibility, a $3,500 fine, and the assessment of 9 Penalty Points. The penalty points resulted in a further 60-day suspension.

On Aug. 16, 2023, Litfin was observed by Minnesota Racing Commission security officers engaging in “actions detrimental to the integrity of racing,” a ruling on the MRC website alleges. That ruling included a summary suspension and cited the following MRC rules:

• 7897.0100 (Prohibited Acts) Subp. 7. Cooperation with Security Officers.
• 7897.0100 (Prohibited Acts) Subp. 17 A. Hypodermic equipment and injectable substances prohibited.
• 7897.0100 (Prohibited Acts) Subp. 20. Possession, administration to, or presence in a horse of a prohibited drug, substance, medication or metabolites, biological product, growth hormone, hormone releasing, venom, or synthetic analog of venom.

No updated ruling has been issued by the Minnesota commission.

Litfin had already surpassed his best year by earnings and his 21 victories from 139 starts  in 2023 equaled his highest number of wins. At the time of the ruling, he was tied for sixth by wins in the Canterbury Park trainer standings.

Horses Litfin had entered prior to the summary suspension were listed as stewards scratches.

The post ‘Actions Detrimental’: Nevada Litfin Suspended Five Months By HIWU appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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