The New York Racing Association issued the following statement on Saturday afternoon concerning trainer Wayne Potts, who earlier this week was told by the Maryland Jockey Club to vacate his stalls at Laurel Park over allegations that he had started horses in his name that were being conditioned by Marcus Vitali at a private training center in New Jersey. Vitali's one-year suspension from Delaware Park stewards for interfering and impeding with an investigation recently ended.
Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra said the racing office at Laurel would not take entries from Potts and that his name was on a list at Charles Town, Parx Racing and Delaware Park and was not permitted to run horses at those facilities. The allegations by the Maryland Jockey Club were presented in a Paulick Report article published Aug. 20.
The NYRA statement reads:
Wayne Potts is a licensed trainer in the state of New York with full rights to participate in thoroughbred racing at tracks in the state. No regulatory body in any state or jurisdiction has acted against Potts in a way that would trigger a reciprocal suspension in New York. As such, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is presently accepting entries from Potts at NYRA tracks, including Saratoga Race Course.
“NYRA is aware of the allegations publicly leveled against Wayne Potts earlier this week,” said Martin Panza, NYRA SVP of Racing Operations. “These allegations must be thoroughly investigated and adjudicated by the relevant regulatory agencies in order to provide due process to this trainer or any trainer in question. NYRA will take additional actions only as warranted by the facts developed and presented by regulators.”
Prior to accepting any entry from Potts, NYRA reviews the individual circumstances and movements of the horse with heightened scrutiny to ensure that each horse is only under the direct care of Potts.
“Transparency and accountability for owners and trainers is critical for our sport,” said Joe Appelbaum, President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. “When the hard questions on integrity arise, it's imperative that we have full investigations and open hearings. This is how we develop confidence in the system.”
Potts is the trainer of three starters at the 2020 Saratoga summer meet including American Sailor, who was elevated to first in the Grade 3 Troy on August 8; Hoffenheim, who ran on August 19; and Our Destiny, who won a maiden special weight on Friday, August 21. Potts' lone additional NYRA starter in 2020 is Runabout, who finished second in a February 14 claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack.
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