Trainer Shug McGaughey, III has been suspended 30 days and fined $500 by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) after one of his trainees, Smokin' T (War Front), tested positive for a metabolite of acepromazine after finishing second in the $200,000 Audubon S. at Churchill Downs June 4.
But McGaughey won't be out of action for an entire month. The Nov. 20 ruling stated that the Hall-of-Fame conditioner will only have to serve half of that suspension because of “mitigating circumstances (number of violations in relation to overall record).”
The 15-day stay of the suspension is also conditional on McGaughey not triggering an additional Class A or B drug ruling against him within one year from the date of the ruling.
Acepromazine, a tranquilizer, is listed as a Drug/Penalty Class 3B on the Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances list maintained by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI). The KHRC threshold limit for acepromazine is 10 ng/ml in urine.
The ruling stated that Smokin' T's post-race urine sample contained 61.2 ng/ml of 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) promazine sulfoxide.
A voicemail message left for McGaughey seeking comment on the story on Monday afternoon did not yield a return call prior to publication of this story. TDN wanted to know if McGaughey is planning an appeal, or whom he might designate to run his stable while the Dec. 5-19 suspension is in effect.
Class 3 is considered a middle category within a tiered ARCI classification system in which Class 1 Drugs are the most severe or harmful and Class 5 are the least. The B Penalty category is also a middle value on an A-B-C severity scale.
The ARCI's recommended minimum/maximum suspension and fine penalties for Class B infractions are 15-60 days and $500-$1,000 for first offenses. According to the ruling, McGaughey waived his right to a formal hearing.
Smokin' T, owned by DATTT Stable, has been disqualified, and his $37,900 in purse winnings are to be forfeited and redistributed.
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