R Adios Jersey, who finished first by 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks last Aug. 27 at Charles Town in West Virginia, has been disqualified from the win due to a positive test for the anti-inflammatory flunixin, also known by its brand name, Banamine. Flunixin is a Class 4 drug with a Category C penalty designation under Association of Racing Commissioners International guidelines.
The ruling was issued Feb. 10 following a Feb. 1 stewards hearing.
The Adios Charlie filly's owners, Averill Racing LLC and ATM Racing, will forfeit the first-place purse of $230,400 and be placed last. Trainer Georgina Baxter has been fined $1,000.
With the disqualification, Stonestreet Stables LLC's Pauline's Pearl will be elevated to the win, with Allworthy second, and Caramel Swirl third.
Anthony Mattera of ATM Racing said the ruling will be appealed.
According to the ruling, Industrial Laboratories reported the positive finding at a level of 1,121 ng/ml, well above the permissible limit of 5 ng/ml. A split sample requested by Baxter confirmed the presence of flunixin at a level of 985 ng/ml. DNA testing requested by Baxter matched the blood sample with the DNA on file for R Adios Jersey.
The ruling states that “the trainer admitted to the treatment of the horse 'R Adios Jersey' with flunixin or ketophen and thought the treatment was done within the withdrawal guidelines and dosing specifications … to avoid a positive.”
Mattera said the horse was “pre-raced” 48 hours before the Charles Town Oaks with ketophen, not flunixin. He added that R Adios Jersey was stabled in a barn with horses from a Charles Town trainer and that records showed that two horses in nearby stalls were treated with flunixin when R Adios Jersey was there.
Stewards listed several mitigating circumstances, one of which states that Baxter “has no violations in this class category in the last 365 days.” According to the MyFloridaLicense.com website, Baxter has had six complaints filed against her for Class 4 medication violations since August 2018, most recently on Nov. 5, 2020. Baxter received a 15-day suspension and $1,500 fine for a methocarbamol positive detected in Alabama Slammer after a maiden claiming victory at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 5, 2020.
R Adios Jersey has finished first in all six of her starts, most recently in the FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 11. The Charles Town Oaks was her only graded stakes start.
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