Tag: George Weaver

Weaver Trained Horse Tests Positive for Metformin

According to the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) a horse trained by New York-based conditioner George Weaver has tested positive for the banned substance metformin. Weaver has asked for a test on a split sample and will be allowed to continue to train pending the results of that test.

The horse in question is Anna's Wish (Dailed In) and the alleged violation occurred after she was tested following the March 16 Cicada S. at Aqueduct in which she finished third.  Metformin is listed as a banned substance by HIWU, which means Weaver faces a possible suspension of up to two years. The “banned” category is the most serious class of drug offences under Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) rules.

Metformin is a drug used to treat diabetes in people. With more than 20 million patients taking it, metformin ranks as the nation's third-most-prescribed human medicine, according to the consumer healthcare website Healthgrades.

Weaver joins Mike Lauer, Jonathan Wong and four other trainers who have had horses test positive for metformin. The metformin positives have been controversial because of the number of people who take it for diabetes, which raises the possibility of environmental contamination.

“This is a clear case of external contamination,” said Weaver's attorney, Drew Mollica. “The facts will show that Mr. Weaver had no hand in this and bears no fault for the alleged violation. We will seek a split sample and once those results are in we believe we will be able to offer clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Weaver bears no fault. At some point, HISA slash HIWU must accept the fact that these universally prescribed medications exist in the environment. The attempt to destroy a man's career predicated on a prevalent substance and in a case where he bears no fault should not only shock the conscience, but it should also shock the entire racing community.”

According to Mollica, Anna's Wish's groom takes metformin.

“The groom who cares for the horse is on the medication,” he said. “This is a clear case of contamination. The consequences that HIWU seeks to impose are career killers with no basis in reality.”

A former assistant to Todd Pletcher, Weaver has been on his own since 2002. According to The Jockey Club's online rulings database, Weaver has had just two prior positives, one for acepromazine and the other for promazine sulfoxide. In both instances, he was not suspended but was fined $300.

For his career, Weaver has had 6,467 starters and has won 983 races. His career earnings are $50,753,128.

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Jan. 16-22

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 Daniel Kenney has been banned18 months and fined $12,500 for possession of the thyroid drug, Levothyroxine, which HISA has listed a banned substance. Kenney's ban began on Oct. 5, 2023.

In a brief explainer on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) website, HIWU Investigators allegedly found the Levothyroxine—otherwise known as Thyro-L—in one of Kenney's tack rooms at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colorado on Aug. 25, 2023.

The case was resolved without a hearing after Kenney admitted to the possession error, according to HIWU.

In a curious chain of developments, possible sanctions have been issued against trainer Joel Gonzales, after the horse Desert Danger returned a Phenylbutazone (bute) overage, from a sample dated Dec. 6, 2023.

Originally, charges were filed against Patricio Venzor, who is listed as Desert Danger's owner on Equibase. The charges were recently withdrawn against Venzor, though there's currently no explainer on the withdrawal of the charges on the HIWU website.

On Jan. 22 this year, HIWU filed new charges for Desert Danger's Phenylbutazone overage against trainer Joel Gonzales. On Equibase, Desert Danger's trainer is listed as trainer Andres Gonzalez.

When asked about these developments, a HIWU spokesperson wrote in an email that Venzor was listed in the HISA portal as the horse's “Responsible Person” at the time of the phenylbutazone positive.

“Following the service of the Charge letter, HIWU was able to get in touch with all the relevant parties in this case and determined that Joel Gonzalez was the appropriate Responsible Person. There was no intention to specifically pursue a violation against Desert Danger's owner, which remains Venzor,” the HIWU spokesperson wrote.

The spokesperson added that “it is the responsibility of the owner and/or trainer connected with a Covered Horse to ensure that the information associated with the horse is up to date in the HISA portal. In this vein, Covered Persons must contact HIWU as soon as possible should they receive a Notice or Charge that they believe was sent in error.”

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: 12/27/2023

Licensee: John Kimmel, 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, Im Just Kiddin. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 12/06/2023

Licensee: Gerald Brooks, 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 Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Jareth, who won at Turfway Park on 12/06/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 08/25/2023

Licensee: Daniel Kenney, trainer

Penalty: 18-month period of Ineligibility, beginning on October 5, 2023; a fine of $12,500. Admission.

Explainer: For the possible possession of Levothyroxine (Thyro-L). This was a possible violation of Rule 3214(a)–Possession of Banned Substances.

Pending ADMC Violations

Date: 01/05/2024

Licensee: Carlos Gonzalez, trainer

Penalty: Pending

Alleged violation: Pre-workout intra-articular injection 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, Suertuda. This is also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 11/09/2023

Licensee: George Weaver, trainer

Penalty: Pending

Alleged violation: Medication violation

Explainer: For the presence of Dantrolene—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Typhoon Fury, who won at Aqueduct on 11/09/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 12/24/2023

Licensee: David Geofroy (listed as the horse's owner on Equibase)

Penalty: Pending

Alleged violation: Medication violation

Explainer: For the presence of 5-Hydroxy Dantrolene—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Typhoon Fury. 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: Salvador Naranjo, 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 Fever, who finished fifth at Los Alamitos on 12/9/2023. This is also a possible violation of Rule 3313—Use of a Controlled Method During the Race Period.

Date: 12/06/2023

Licensee: Joel Gonzales, trainer (Desert Danger's trainer is listed on Equibase as Andres Gonzalez)

Penalty: Pending

Alleged violation: Medication violation

Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Desert Danger. This was 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

Santiago Gonzalez – violation date Jan 20; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

The post Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Jan. 16-22 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Main Event Springs 11-1 Upset In Fort Lauderdale

Main Event (Bernardini) punched his ticket to the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Saturday with a thrilling gate-to-wire win in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. at Gulfstream to close out Pegasus Preview Day in south Florida.

Raced exclusively in New York for his 4-year-old campaign, the OBSAPR grad returned to Gulfstream for the first time since picking up two wins out of three starts to begin his campaign nearly two years ago. A stakes winner over the grass in the Cutler Bay S. back in 2022, Main Event picked up a signature win in the GIII Kent S. at Delaware last July but was relegated back to allowance company after an off-the-board performance in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational as a 3-year-old. A winner on an improved effort, including a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure last time out at Aqueduct Nov. 3, Main Event still went off nearly unnoticed at 11-1 Saturday. In a 'catch me if you can' effort, the colt took command before the field passed the wire with a lap to run and held off determined runs from fellow New York runner Jerry the Nipper (Liam's Map) and 17-1 longshot European runner Kingmax (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to just barely last in a gusty effort.

“He is very talented,” said winning trainer George Weaver. “We've always been looking forward to getting back here. He does love this turf course. He's a graded-stakes winner and he's had plenty of experience.”

Pedigree Note:

One of 86 stakes winner for the great Bernardini, Main Event is out of an unraced half-sister to GSW Enstone (Tiznow) and from the family of third dam Garden Secrets, a half-sister to dual champion Silverbulletday ( Silver Deputy). Also under his third dam is GISW Forest Secrets (Forest Wildcat) and GSW Rumor Has It (Awesome Again). Total Knockout last produced a Mastery yearling colt and was bred to Constitution for 2024.

 

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
LAUDERDALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 12-30, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46.47, gd.
1–MAIN EVENT, 121, c, 4, by Bernardini
                1st Dam: Total Knockout, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: La Suena, by Storm Cat
                3rd Dam: Garden Secrets, by Time for a Change
($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $130,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Harrell
Ventures, LLC; B-Godolphin, Eric Buckley & Elizabeth Buckley
(KY); T-George Weaver; J-Javier Castellano. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 13-5-1-0, $457,783. Click for the free Equineline.com
catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kingmax (Ire), 121, c, 4, Kingman (GB)–Baino Hope (Fr), by
Jeremy. (£120,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Amo Racing USA;
B-Sunderland Holding Inc. (IRE); T-Jorge Delgado. $40,000.
3–Jerry the Nipper, 121, g, 6, Liam's Map–Aqua Regia, by
Pollard's Vision. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($310,000 Wlg '17
KEENOV; $85,000 3yo '20 KEENOV). O-Repole Stable; B-St.
Elias Stable, LLC & Peta Ryan (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$20,000.
Margins: HD, HF, HD. Odds: 11.50, 17.50, 4.70.
Also Ran: Grand Sonata, Stone Age (Ire), Fort Washington, Marwad (GB), Running Bee, Red Run. Scratched: Henley's Joy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Cindy Hutter to be Honored by Turf Writers

Cindy Hutter, who continues her inspiring recovery from a severe brain injury sustained in a training accident in July 2022, has been named the 2023 winner of the Bill Mooney Award for displaying courage in the face of tremendous adversity by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.

Hutter started riding at a young age before going to work for trainer Bruce Miller after she turned 16. Hutter later worked for D. Wayne Lukas, galloping such stars as Winning Colors, Thunder

Gulch, Open Mind and Flanders, and later for Todd Pletcher, working with more greats such as More Than Ready, Jersey Girl and Graeme Hall.

Hutter and her husband, trainer George Weaver, launched their own stable in 2002. With Hutter serving as assistant and lead exercise rider, the couple campaigned Grade I winners Lighthouse Bay and Vekoma.

Hutter suffered injuries July 3, 2022, when a filly she was galloping on Saratoga's Oklahoma Training Track collapsed and died from an apparent heart attack. Unconscious for several weeks, Hutter continues to bounce back through rehabilitation and therapy all while making her presence felt at the barn even from a distance.

“We're very honored to win this award,” Weaver said. “Cindy was tough beforehand, and we ended up finding out how much tougher she was after everything happened. We're doing everything we can and she continues to improve. She's still got a strong work ethic. She might come out to the barn once a week, once every couple weeks. She came out the other day, spent the whole morning with us. And, of course, there was no shortage of comments to do this, and to do that.”

Hutter was on hand this summer when her husband saddled Crimson Advocate to victory in the G2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, one of 10 stakes wins for the stable so far this year.

Hutter joins five prior Mooney winners–the award's namesake who died after a long battle with cancer in 2017: horseman Kiaran McLaughlin, retired jockey Joy Scott, retired jockey and owner Rene Douglas and horsewoman Martine Bellocq.

She will be honored along with the NTWAB's other four award winners at the organization's 63rd annual Awards Dinner at The Woolf Den by The Derby in Arcadia near Santa Anita Park, Nov. 1.

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