equine medication violations | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Feb. 20-26

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

Among this week's rulings, trainer Carlos Mancilla has been suspended for 15 days for a post-race Gabapentin positive from Sept. 10, and fined $1,000. Gabapentin, a Class B controlled medication, is an anti-seizure medicine for humans that is also used to treat complications from shingles.

According to the final ruling by an internal adjudication panel, Mancilla said that the positive probably came about because of the horse, Cara in the City, ingesting straw contaminated with Gabapentin through urine. “Mr. Mancilla however did not provide any concrete evidence to support this assertion,” the final ruling states.

The internal adjudication panel issued Mancilla the maximum possible sanction for a first Class B controlled medication violation under HISA.

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: 02/23/2024
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine Anti-Doping charge withdrawn.
Explainer: For the presence of Clenbuterol—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Fast Heart. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.
More on the story here.

Resolution Date: 02/22/2024
Licensee: Reynaldo Yanez, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine Controlled Medication charge withdrawn.
Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled
Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, That Magic Moment. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 02/22/2024
Licensee: Carlos Mancilla, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 23, 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.
Explainer: For the presence of Gabapentin—Controlled Medications (Class B)—in a sample taken from Cara in the City, who finished second at Pimlico on 9/10/23. 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: 02/06/2024
Licensee: Lacy Pierce, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Acepromazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Mamba Forever on 2/6/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 02/03/2024
Licensee: Howard Love, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Slender Slipper on 2/3/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/30/2023
Licensee: Bruce Levine, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Fortune's Nephew, who finished third at Aqueduct on 12/30/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/15/2023
Licensee: Brittany Russell, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Battling Time, who won at Laurel Park on 12/15/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/03/2024
Licensee: Jorge Diaz, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Celtic Treasure, who did not finish a race at Parx Racing on 1/3/24 (according to Equibase, Celtic Treasure was “injured in the early stages, pulled up and vanned off”). This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Juan Guerrero, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
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 is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/26/2024
Licensee: Frank Santillana, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
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 is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/09/2023
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Vets' list medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Storm the Empire on 12/9/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/19/2024
Licensee: Flint Stites, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the potential breach of Rule 4221—Alkalinization or use/administration of an Alkalinizing Agent (TCO2)—on Rock Anna Roll, who finished fifth at Penn National on 1/19/2024. This is also a possible violation of Rule 3313—Use of a Controlled Method During the Race Period.

Date: 01/02/2024
Licensee: Carla Morgan, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from River City Rocker on 1/2/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 01/28/2024
Licensee: Michael Simone, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Another Duke, who won at Tampa Bay on 1/28/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

Santa Anita
Drayden Van Dyke – violation date Feb 23; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 9 strikes
Kazushi Kimura – violation date Feb 23; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

OTHER KEY RULINGS
The TDN also publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

California
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/25/2024
Licensee: Rolando Quinonez, trainer
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Non-compliance with pre-workout veterinarian examinations
Explainer: Trainer Rolando Quinonez is fined $1,000.00 for violations of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1878 (Workouts – No 72-hour pre-workout Veterinarian examinations [Non-compliance for 28 out of 238 workouts]) between January 1, 2022, through August 20, 2023.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 02/20/2024
Licensee: Nancy Vutz, racing official
Penalty: $1,500
Violation: Lasix administration error
Explainer: Racing Official Dr. Nancy Vutz is hereby fined the sum of $1,500 for failing to conduct business in a proper manner necessitating a scratch in Race #3 at Aqueduct Racetrack on February 19, 2024.

The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Feb. 20-26 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. 12-18

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 is the saga surrounding Tankinator, a horse at the centre of two positfives within 17 days.

On Oct. 21, Tankinator finished 6th at Delaware Park. Tankinator was claimed out of Webster Gayle's barn that day before running again on Nov. 7 for Bonnie Lucas at Parx Racing. Tankinator was pulled up and vanned off in that race. It's unclear whether Tankinator was euthanized.

In pending rulings posted on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) website, the 5-year-old gelding's post-race sample after his Oct. 21 appearance tested positive for the corticosteroid Dexamethasone, a controlled drug commonly used as an anti-inflammatory.

Tankinator's post-race sample after his Nov. 7 run tested positive for Xylazine, a controlled drug that can be used to sedate or tranquilize horses.

According to a HIWU spokesperson, the notice for the first positive test was sent out after the horse ran again on Nov. 7, as the post-claim owner would not have had the option to void the claim through HISA without being aware of the first positive test. Gayle and the post-claim owner were alerted to the dexamethasone positive at the same time, the spokesperson added.

In a separate case, trainer Michael Lauer was handed down a two and ½ month suspension after his horse, Mowins, had tested positive for the diabetes drug, Metformin, after finishing third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Aug. 5. He was also fined $2,600. Lauer's suspension began on Oct. 12.

HISA lists Metformin as a banned drug, meaning it comes with a possible two-year suspension.

According to the case resolution posted on HIWU's website, the groom looking after Mowins had a prescription for Metformin, which he took twice daily. The day of the race, the groom, Jorge Ceballos, took the medication during lunch, before preparing Mowins for the race, “which included putting the bridle in Mowins' mouth,” according to the case resolution.

HIWU agreed that “Mr. Lauer was able to establish the source of Metformin by a balance of probability was unintentional contamination by Mr. Ceballos during his pre-race grooming preparations,” according to the case resolution.

Trainers Jeffrey Englehart and A. Ferris Allen were each issued seven-day suspensions and $1,000 fines for Phenylbutazone positives. Phenylbutazone is a Class C controlled medication. For both trainers, the sanctions handed down constituted their second Class C substance violations under HISA.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 11/05/2023
Licensee: Anthony Farrior, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine anti-doping charges withdrawn. B Sample volume insufficient for analysis.
Explainer: For the presence of Metformin-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Geothermal, who raced at Laurel Park on 11/5/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.
Read more on the story here.

Date: 10/28/2023
Licensee: Tony Lello, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Methocarbamol-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Reel Em In. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 10/25/2023
Licensee: Joe Pizzurro, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Atlantic Firestorm. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/28/2023
Licensee: Terry Eoff, 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. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Methocarbomal-Controlled Medications (Class C)-in a sample taken from Kentucky Dawn, who finished second at Remington Park on 9/28/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/01/2023
Licensee: A. Ferris Allen, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on December 13, 2023; 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 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Aristocratic, who finished second at Colonial Downs at 9/1/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 08/05/2023
Licensee: Michael Lauer, trainer
Penalty: Two and ½ month (i.e., 75-day) period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on October 12, 2023; 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on August 31, 2023 (already served); Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results obtained on 08/05/23 and 08/23/23, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,600. Final decision of HIWU, and admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Metformin-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Mowins who finished third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 8/5/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.

Date: 07/17/2023
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on December 13, 2023; 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 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Graywing, who finished fourth at Finger Lakes on 7/17/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.

Pending ADMC Violations
Date: 11/29/2023
Licensee: Lacey Gaudet, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
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 is also a possible violation of Rule 4222-Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 11/25/2023
Licensee: Peter Walder, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
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 is 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: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Shake N Fries. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Librado Barocio, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Sugar Fish. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Librado Barocio, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Barristan the Bold. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Ron Rozell, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Pemoline-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Bavaria. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/08/2023
Licensee: Ilmar Loaiza, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Roseinthesky, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 11/8/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/07/2023
Licensee: Bonnie Lucas, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine-Controlled Medication (Class B)-in a sample taken from Tankinator, who was pulled up and vanned off in a race at Parx Racing on 11/7/23. This is 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
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class B)-in a sample taken from Tankinator, who finished sixth at Delaware Park on 10/21/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/21/2023
Licensee: Bret Calhoun, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Diclofenac-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Ain't Broke, who won at Churchill Downs on 09/21/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

Los Alamitos
Diego Herrera – violation date Dec 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 2 strikes over limit
Giovanni Franco – violation date Dec 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 1 strike over limit
Kyle Frey – violation date Dec 17; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 1 strike over limit

OTHER KEY RULINGS
The TDN also publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 12/14/2023
Licensee: Manuel Franco, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Manuel Franco is hereby suspended for three (3) NYRA racing days January 1st 2024, January 4th 2024, January 5th 2024 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 6th race at Aqueduct Racetrack on December 9th 2023.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 12/18/2023
Licensee: Junior Alvarado, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Junior Alvarado is hereby suspended three (3) NYRA racing days January 1st 2024, January 4th 2024, January 5th 2024 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 9th race at Aqueduct Racetrack on December 16th 2023.

The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Dec. 12-18 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Vitali—Aided by Baffert Court Order—Resurfaces at Saratoga

When the New York Racing Association (NYRA) barred Hall-of-Fame trainer Bob Baffert back in May over integrity concerns surrounding his five equine drug positives in a one-year span, it was only a matter of time before speculative comparisons began to percolate within the industry along the lines of, “They banned Baffert, but they allow so-and-so to race?”

You could have inserted the name of any controversial or rogue trainer of your choice in that above sentence.

But it didn't take long for the entries at Saratoga Race Course to supply one.

Marcus J. Vitali, who has a long history of equine medication violations among the 84 docket entries listed under his name in The Jockey Club's online rulings database–plus a daunting list of racetrack banishments and licensure denials up and down the East Coast–was allowed to enter Red Venus (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Spa's fourth race July 22.

The race was a $35,000 NW3L claimer, and Red Venus ran a no-impact last in the field of seven.

It could very well be that NYRA didn't want to take Vitali's entries. But in light of Baffert's ongoing lawsuit against NYRA–the embattled trainer just won an injunction in federal court last week that gives him the right to race in New York while his Fourteenth Amendment due process case plays out–NYRA perhaps believed it didn't have much legal choice other than to accept Vitali's entries.

Martin Panza, the senior vice president of racing operations at NYRA, said he wouldn't comment on Vitali when reached via phone Thursday morning.

Patrick McKenna, NYRA's senior director of communications replied instead. He wrote in an email that “NYRA is absolutely committed to protecting and enhancing the integrity and safety of the sport. In light of the recent federal court decision, NYRA is establishing a due process mechanism that will allow it to take action against individuals whose conduct is contrary to the best interests of Thoroughbred racing.”

By way of explanation, McKenna also emailed a highlighted section of the order written by Judge Carol Bagley Amon of United States District Court (Eastern District of New York) that stated how a legal precedent had previously established that NYRA does have the right to exclude licensees, but “must conform to the requirements of due process” by affording some sort of hearing prior to banning a licensee.

Craig Robertson, Baffert's attorney, told TDN that allowing Vitali to race while attempting to exclude the seven-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer underscores the unfairness of how Baffert has been treated.

“This is just one of many examples demonstrating that NYRA has singled Mr. Baffert out for disparate treatment,” Robertson wrote in an email. “We spelled out numerous other examples in the pleadings we filed with the court. I have never asked for Mr. Baffert to be treated any better than any other trainer. I just don't want him treated any worse.”

Vitali, 60, grew up across the street from now-defunct Narragansett Park in Rhode Island. In the 1970s, he pursued a career as a jockey but soon outgrew the profession. He began training in New England in 1989, and did not incur any medication violations during the first two decades of his training career according to The Jockey Club's online rulings database.

Vitali was, however, fined on numerous occasions for administrative violations such as entering ineligible horses, disobeying racing officials, making invalid claims, issuing checks with insufficient funds, and attempting to get horses on Lasix when they did not medically qualify.

In the mid-2000s, Vitali began training horses for the polarizingly controversial owner Michael Gill. While employing a dizzying array of hired-and-fired trainers, Gill's horses were frequently the subject of equine welfare scrutiny in numerous jurisdictions because of their high catastrophic injury rates.

Gill eventually left the sport. But Vitali continued to branch out in the mid-Atlantic region and later established a training base in Florida, where he became a multiple graded-stakes winning conditioner.

According to The Jockey Club's rulings database, it wasn't until 2008 that Vitali racked up his first medication penalty, in Maryland for a butazolidin violation.

But between 2011 and the start of 2016, Vitali had 23 medication violations on his training record in Florida alone. He was also investigated for a complaint about alleged animal cruelty involving a claimed Thoroughbred. That case was eventually closed by Florida authorities because of “insufficient proof.”

In 2016, Vitali voluntary relinquished his Florida training license in an attempt to avoid further sanctions for multiple medication violations. His legal reasoning was that so long as he didn't hold a license, it couldn't be suspended and he couldn't be fined.

On July 1, 2016, his legal team negotiated a “settlement agreement” with the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering that resulted in a 120-day license suspension and a $7,000 fine.

On Sept. 20, 2016, The Stronach Group (TSG) barred the under-suspension Vitali from competing at TSG-owned tracks after Vitali was spotted at Gulfstream Park instructing staff and sending horses to the track in saddle towels bearing his initials. TSG also kicked out horses allegedly trained by Allan Hunter, who was alleged to be acting as Vitali's “program trainer.” Vitali at the time claimed he had been issued a “guest pass” and was doing nothing wrong.

In November 2016, a Vitali horse was scratched from the opening-day program at Tampa Bay Downs, whose management then denied further entries from Vitali.

Vitali tried to relocate to Parx in Pennsylvania. He was told he was not welcome there, but he appealed the decision to the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, which upheld his appeal and granted him a stay on Jan. 23, 2017.

One month later, Vitali attempted to obtain a racing license in West Virginia, but was denied licensure by the West Virginia Racing Commission (WVRC).

“Mr. Vitali has a lengthy record of racing rule violations in other racing jurisdictions, including multiple medication rule violations,” a Feb. 21, 2017, WVRC ruling stated.

That ruling continued: “A Comprehensive Ruling Report from the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) demonstrates that Mr. Vitali has had a total of 55 rulings issued against him in other racing jurisdictions and that he has been assigned 31 Multiple Medication Violation advisory points by ARCI for various medication rule violations in other racing jurisdictions. Mr. Vitali's past record of violations in other racing jurisdictions shows a consistent and callous disregard for the rules of racing.”

On Aug. 8, 2018, Vitali was denied licensure in New York on the grounds that he “failed to comply with licensing requirements.”

Eventually, Vitali was granted a training license and stalls at Delaware Park. In July of 2019, when a member of that track's security team was checking the stable-area dorm of one of Vitali's employees, Vitali allegedly ran into the room, grabbed a bubble-wrapped package out of the refrigerator that appeared to be a vial of clear liquid, and ran off with it while security gave chase.

The package was suspected to be a contraband equine drug. But Vitali allegedly disposed of it before security officials could take possession of it. Vitali later claimed that it was a bag of marijuana.

That act of evasion earned Vitali a one-year suspension and $2,500 fine for interfering with and impeding an investigation.

During that banishment from racing, Vitali attempted to return to his native Rhode Island to open up a legal marijuana cultivation business.

But in February 2020, a local newspaper got wind of his lengthy record of racing violations and wrote up several stories about his checkered past. It is unclear whether or not he was ever granted clearance to open that business. “Vitali shrugs off the violations, which he blames on a regulation-heavy industry,” the Attleboro Sun Chronicle wrote at the time.

In August 2020, trainer Wayne Potts was barred from racing and stabling at Maryland tracks due to accusations from TSG that he was operating as a “program trainer” on the basis that he was receiving horses that had been previously trained by Vitali. Potts denied the allegations, and was subsequently granted stall space in New York. He said those horses were from an owner, Carolyn Vogel, for whom Potts had previously trained.

(Ironically, Vogel is the breeder of Red Venus, the Vitali-trained filly who ran under the ownership of Crossed Sabres Farm at Saratoga on Thursday. Another related coincidence that drew considerable commentary on social media this week is that Potts also saddled a runner in Thursday's fourth race at the Spa.)

Vitali regained his training license in Arizona and resurfaced at Turf Paradise on Jan. 4, 2021. He later started horses at Lone Star Park in Texas and is now based out of Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania. He has an 8-for-61 record so far this year.

Just last week, on July 14, Vitali was fined $250 by the Presque Isle Downs stewards for arriving “extremely late” to the paddock with an entrant, necessitating a late scratch.

In various interviews over the past five years, Vitali has repeatedly told TDN that his long history of medication penalties is the result of a “big misunderstanding.” He has also noted that his equine drug history shouldn't be held against him so harshly because it is primarily comprised of lower-classification violations in the ARCI's Class 3 and 4 categories.

TDN phoned Vitali Thursday morning prior to his Saratoga start, which was his first in New York since 2019.

After a reporter introduced himself, Vitali replied, “I can't hear [expletive],” and the conversation was cut off.

When TDN called back several times, there was no answer.

This is similar to what happened when TDN tried to speak to Vitali via phone back in January at Turf Paradise–he claimed a bad connection, then couldn't be reached.

The post Vitali—Aided by Baffert Court Order—Resurfaces at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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