Stewards at Delaware Park have refused a license application from former trainer Ramon Preciado for a groom's license for the calendar year 2023. The ruling, which was published May 15, cites two state regulations as the basis for the decision; one pertains to “denial or revocation of a license in another jurisdiction at a previous time,” and the other deals with “past or contemplated conduct which may adversely affect the public's confidence in the reputation Thoroughbred racing heretofore has enjoyed in Delaware for stringent adherence to uncompromising standards of honesty, integrity and propriety.”
The latter made note, in parenthesis, of “several medication violations-animal and disorderly conduct.”
The ruling notes that Preciado is eligible to submit a license application next year.
Preciado has been a source of controversy in the Midlantic region for some time. The Paulick Report reported in January that he had been working as an assistant to trainer Michael E. Jones, Jr. at a barn owned by JKX Racing at a private training center in Maryland.
Some training centers are not state racing commission-regulated properties, and as such, people working there are not required to be licensed by the state.
Previously, Preciado had been working as a groom for trainer Penny Pearce at Parx, who subsequently saw her win percentage jump from 8 percent in 2020 to 23 percent in 2021 and 25 percent in 2022. Last August, Pearce received a multi-year suspension for multiple clenbuterol positives which will have her off the racetrack until July 2026. She initially appealed the ruling but withdrew her appeal on Jan. 30, 2023, according to Pennsylvania's rulings database.
Preciado received a lengthy suspension and then had his training license revoked by officials in Pennsylvania in 2016 after as many as 10 positive tests for clenbuterol – which he claimed were the result of sabotage. In December 2020, the commission granted Preciado a stable employee's license and he went to work for Pearce.
Prior to his license revocation, Preciado was leading trainer at Parx in 2014 and 2015, winning at a 30 percent clip.
The post Delaware Stewards Refuse To Give Former Parx Trainer Ramon Preciado A Groom’s License appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
