ADMC | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings: Mar. 5-14

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

Among this most recent set of rulings, by far the most portentous was the 15-year ban doled out to trainer Milton Pineda, who trained seven different horses that tested positive post-race for the banned substance, Diisopropylamine, between June 2 and July 4 last year. The seven horses started at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita. Pineda was also accused of program training during the period of his provisional suspension.

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit classifies Diisopropylamine as a vasodilator, which is a substance that dilates the blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely through them. Diisopropylamine is also found in several everyday items like tobacco and beauty products, and hand sanitizer.

The arbitrator in Pineda's case fined the trainer $180,000 and ordered him to pay an additional $15,000 towards HIWU's share of the legal costs for the proceedings. A more detailed account of the case can be read here.

NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations

Resolution Date: 03/14/2024

Licensee: Milton Pineda, trainer

Penalty: 15-year-ban, $180,000 fine and $15,000 towards HIWU's share of the arbitration costs of the proceedings.

Explainer: Read more on the story here.

Resolution Date: 03/11/2024

Licensee: Dr. Donald J. McCrosky (currently unclear in what specific role McCrosky is a responsible party)

Penalty: 30-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on March 12, 2024; a fine of $2,500. Admission.

Explainer: For the possible breach of Rule 3510(a)—Disruptive or Offensive Conduct that does not rise to Tampering. The ruling involves the horse Madelyn Attack, who McCrosky bred. HIWU has not yet publicly posted a more detailed explainer of the ruling.

Resolution Date: 03/11/2024

Licensee: Carlos Morales, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Moose Wilson. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Resolution Date: 03/11/2024

Licensee: Patrick Biancone, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Infinite Diamond. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Resolution Date: 03/08/2024

Licensee: Juan Guerrero, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.

Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Crypt, who won at Parx Racing on 11/13/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Resolution Date: 03/08/2024

Licensee: Frank Santillana, trainer

Explainer: For the presence of Flunixin—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Mi Gusto Es, who finished tenth at Tampa Bay on 1/26/24. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Resolution Date: 03/08/2024

Licensee: Peter Walder, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission. Final decision by the internal adjudication panel.

Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Hello Jack. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Resolution Date: 03/07/2024

Licensee: George Arnold II, trainer

Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on March 8, 2024; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: For the presence of Tramadol—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Figgy, who won at Turfway Park on 12/27/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

HISA Invites Applications To Join Horsemen’s Advisory Group

Edited Press Release

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is now accepting new applications for experienced industry experts to join HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group. The Advisory Group was formed by HISA in 2022 to provide formal feedback to HISA's executive team and standing committees on the implementation and evolution of its Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) regulations. The Advisory Group has been responsible for recommending a number of substantive modifications to the HISA Rules that were ultimately approved by the HISA Board.

Now that 18 months have passed since the Advisory Group's establishment, HISA is beginning the process of rotating members off to allow new perspectives to join. Five members will rotate off on May 1, 2024, and another five will rotate off on Nov. 1, 2024.

HISA is inviting all racing participants who wish to be considered for membership in the Advisory Group to email horsemensadvisory@hisaus.org indicating their interest and qualifications by Friday, Apr. 5, 2024. Applicants should also indicate whether they would like to be considered for the next round of openings in November 2024, should they not be selected to join in May 2024.

The Advisory Group's membership includes trainers, owners, veterinarians, backstretch employees and representatives of racing offices and aftercare initiatives who collectively represent a wide variety of viewpoints across racing. Advisory Group members are expected to join monthly virtual (and occasionally in-person) meetings with HISA leadership to provide feedback on HISA's rules and processes, as well as be available to weigh in on time-sensitive issues affecting horsemen as needed.

The post HISA Invites Applications To Join Horsemen’s Advisory Group appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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HISA, HIWU Open Investigation into UK Lab

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) have opened an investigation into the University of Kentucky's Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory's performance, according to a joint statement Tuesday by the agencies.

On the 16th of last month, HIWU stopped sending samples to the UK Lab. Prior to that, the laboratory had been one of six drug testing facilities used under HISA's anti-doping and medication control (ADMC) program.

Last week, Scott Stanley officially stepped down from his position as the UK Lab's director and has been reassigned within the university.

HISA and HIWU are also cooperating with the university's own investigation into the matter, according to Tuesday's joint statement.

“On Tuesday, February 13, leadership from HISA, HIWU, and the University of Kentucky met in person to discuss concerns with the performance of the University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (UK Lab),” reads to the joint statement.

“At this time, HISA and HIWU were informed by the university that it was conducting an ongoing personnel investigation relating to Dr. Scott Stanley, the director of the UK Lab, and Dr. Stanley was not permitted to be in direct communication with the other staff at the laboratory,” the joint statement read. “The university also expressed staffing concerns related to the laboratory's operations.”

It is currently unclear, however, what the specific nature of the investigations entail.

Earlier on Tuesday, Stanley told the TDN that he stepped down from the position in part due to delayed turnaround times of samples, issues with the chain of custody handling of samples, along with communication issues with HIWU.

“There were ongoing communication problems, getting data from the client and communicating results back,” Stanley said, about the UK lab's working relationship with HIWU.

According to Stanley, HIWU stopped sending samples to the UK Lab with no prior notification given.

In a statement, a university spokesperson wrote that Stanley remains a member of the UK faculty and that his position has been reassigned for him to “expand the scope of his research program and focus on industry priorities.”

The spokesperson added, “We are moving quickly to name an interim director as part of our commitment to the important work conducted at the lab. During this interim period, we have taken the appropriate steps to refer samples to other equipped laboratories for a complete analysis.

“We will, in the near future, announce plans for how we will search for a permanent director. Our commitment is to provide outstanding service on behalf of the horse industry. That commitment is something we are continually striving to honor.”

According to Stanley, the UK lab handled roughly 800 blood and 800 urine post-race samples a month, and approximately 600 additional blood samples monthly, associated with TCO2, vets' list and out-of-competition testing.

Since Feb. 16, all samples collected in Kentucky and Florida that previously would have been analyzed by the UK Lab have been redirected to Industrial Laboratories in Colorado “indefinitely,” according to HISA and HIWU's joint statement.

“Going forward, HISA and HIWU are fully confident in the ability of Industrial Laboratories to handle the increased volume of samples and ensure that all samples are processed and analyzed in compliance with the ADMC Program,” the statement read.

These developments mark the latest twist in HISA's efforts to build an efficient and uniform drug testing program from a previously fractured lab testing environment.

The TDN reported last year that a variety of differences between the laboratories–from different testing equipment to different testing methodologies to different sets of staff interpreting the results–mean that they screen for different numbers of substances, and have varying abilities to screen for the same substances, outside of some 300 core analytes.

“HISA and HIWU remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the highest levels of safety, integrity, and welfare in Thoroughbred racing. As part of this commitment, we continually evaluate our partner laboratories through an external quality assurance program, as well as internal assessments,” their joint statement read, on Tuesday.

“For the benefit of all human and equine stakeholders, laboratories who fail to satisfy our requirements will be removed from service in the ADMC Program.”

The post HISA, HIWU Open Investigation into UK Lab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings Dec. 26–Jan. 1

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

Among the key rulings from the last seven days, trainer Jimmy Corrigan has been provisionally suspended as a result of his trainee, Stay Lost–who won at Belterra Park on Oct. 7 last year–testing positive for Methamphetamine.

HISA currently lists Methamphetamine–a common human recreation drug–as a banned substance, which comes with a possible two-year suspension. With banned substances under HISA, responsible parties are subject to a provisional suspension, prior to a full hearing, if the B sample confirms the positive test result from the A sample.

As part of a list of proposed rule changes before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), drugs like Methamphetamine could be re-categorized as human substances of abuse.

If the FTC accepts this rule change, the trainer could still possibly face a provisional suspension for a “human substances of abuse” violation, if the B sample analysis confirms the original positive test result.

“However, the trainer would not be subject to a suspension of more than 60 days (for a first violation) if HIWU accepts that the positive test was more likely than not the result of unintentional transfer or contamination,” wrote a Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit spokesperson.

NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations

Date: 08/16/2023

Licensee: Robert Leaf Jr., trainer

Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medications (Class C)–in a sample taken from Laddie Dance, who won at Delaware Park on 8/16/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/29/2023

Licensee: Lacey Gaudet, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.

Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method–on the horse, Graceful Union. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222–Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 11/14/2023

Licensee: Robert Lucas, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.

Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Shake N Fries. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 10/21/2023

Licensee: Webster Gayle, trainer

Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Tankinator, who finished sixth at Delaware Park on 10/21/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Pending ADMC Violations

Date: 12/08/2023

Licensee: Kevin Martin, trainer

Penalty: Pending