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O’Neill Hit With CHRB Complaint Over Oral Medication Administration

Trainer Doug O'Neill, who will send two horses to this weekend's Breeders' Cup, has been hit with a complaint requiring him to appear before stewards at Los Alamitos regarding medication administration to a horse in his care.

According to the complaint filed on Oct. 22, investigators received a tip this summer that a horse from O'Neill's barn that had already been entered in a race may have received illegal medication. Investigators at Los Alamitos inspected the barn July 5 and discovered the unidentified horse did not have a sign on its stall door indicating it was running within the next 24 hours.

Assistant trainer Sabas Rivera told investigators he had treated the horse the previous day with oral pastes called Bleeder Shield and Un-Lock, which meant they had been treated within 24 hours of race time.

Un-Lock is marketed as a supplement containing amino acids and electrolytes to reduce muscle fatigue and prevent tying up. Bleeder Shield purports to contain the Chinese herb Yunnan Baiyao to prevent exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Neither product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration because the FDA does not inspect or approve dietary supplements for horses or humans. California rules do allow the administration of oral pastes like these, but not within 24 hours of a race.

The complaint issued Oct. 22 does not constitute a ruling against O'Neill, merely a requirement that a hearing take place. A date was not provided in the complaint for the hearing.

In 2013, O'Neill appeared before California stewards after a barn foreman administered an amino acid paste to runner Cinco de Mario, who was entered to run within 24 hours. Cinco de Mario was subsequently scratched from the race. At the time, O'Neill said the foreman made a mistake and was meant to give the paste to a horse in the next stall who was more than 24 hours out from a race. At the time, the trainer also said he would time the administration of oral supplements like that one 25 to 30 hours out from a horse's race, because he believed they could still be effective in that window without violating the rules. He received a $1,500 fine in that case.

The post O’Neill Hit With CHRB Complaint Over Oral Medication Administration appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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O’Neill Summoned to Explain Substance Administration at Los Al

Two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O'Neill has been summoned to a stewards' hearing to address a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) complaint that revolves around a potential illegal administration of a substance prior to races four months ago at Los Alamitos Race Course (LARC).

According to an Oct. 22 CHRB complaint, back on July 5, “Investigators received information from Los Alamitos track security steward, Michael Kilpack, regarding seeing someone at trainer Doug O'Neill's barn possibly giving an illegal substance to a horse that had already been entered in a race at LARC.”

The complaint continued: “Investigators conducted a barn inspection at trainer Doug O'Neill's barn…. During the barn inspection, investigators did not observe any pre-race 'Detention Stall Sign' posted on any of the stalls prior to the post time of the race for which the horses were entered.”

Investigators then “interviewed assistant trainer Sabas Rivera, [who] stated he had given 'BleederShield' and 'Un-Lock' to the horses yesterday, which was 24 hours prior to race.”

TDN could not reach O'Neill on Monday to get his side of the story. Darrell Vienna, an attorney who has represented O'Neill in past cases before the CHRB, said via phone that he has not yet had an opportunity to discuss this new complaint with O'Neill.

BleederShield is advertised as a “pre-race or event formula for horses that bleed due to respiratory stress.” According to an online product description, its active ingredient is yunnan baiyao, which is a Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formula used for wound healing, as a pain reliever, and to stop bleeding in both animals and humans.

Un-Lock is advertised as “a unique combination of muscle-supporting amino acids…plus electrolytes and essential vitamins.”

The substances are non-FDA approved and while it's not illegal to give them to horses in general, it is illegal to administer to a horse within 24 hours of a race.

Two months ago, on Sept. 6, O'Neill got fined $2,000 for a pair of Class 4, Penalty Category C methocarbamol positives at Santa Anita Park from May and June, one in a race and the other in a workout. A 4C categorization represents the least-severe side of the scale on the Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances list published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

Separately, back in March, O'Neill negotiated a CHRB settlement agreement that included a $7,500 fine and the serving of 10 days of a 30-day suspension over a 2B positive lidocaine test triggered by one of his trainees in October 2020.

Violations of the following CHRB rules are alleged in this latest complaint: Rule 1845(c)2(A) pertains to posting the detention stall signage. Rules 1843.5(a), (c) and (h) deal with the administration of substances after a horse is entered to race. Rule 1887(a) is the “absolute insurer” regulation that dictates a trainer's responsibilities.

The CHRB complaint does not constitute a ruling against O'Neill. It is a “notice to appear” before the Los Alamitos stewards. No date for the hearing was listed on the complaint, which was signed electronically by the CHRB's equine medical director, Jeff Blea, DVM.

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Starlet, Los Alamitos Futurity Headline Winter Stakes Schedule At Los Al

Four stakes for 2-year-olds – including a pair of graded races – highlight the upcoming Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.

The season is scheduled to begin Friday, Dec. 3 and continue through Sunday, Dec. 12.

The $300,000-guaranteed Starlet, a Grade 1 for 2-year-old fillies, will be renewed for the eighth time at Los Alamitos Saturday, Dec. 4, one week before the $200,000 Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. Won a year ago by the Bob Baffert-trained Varda, the Starlet – like the Futurity – will be contested at 1 1/16 miles.

Among the nominees to the Starlet are impressive Del Mar Debutante winner Grace Adler, Dance to the Music, Elm Drive and Eda.

Nominees for the Futurity, which was won a year ago by Spielberg, giving Baffert his seventh consecutive win in the race, include Del Mar Futurity winner Pinehurst, Enbarr, winner of the local Capote Stakes, Pappacap and Rhetoric.

The other two stakes for juveniles will be run at one mile and are ungraded. The $100,000 Soviet Problem – for fillies – will be offered Saturday, Dec. 11 while the $100,000 King Glorious will be run Sunday, Dec. 12. Both are for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California.

Completing the stakes schedule is the Grade 3, $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes for fillies & mares (3-year-olds & up) at 1 1/16 miles. The Bayakoa will be run Sunday, Dec. 5.

The complete LACF Winter Thoroughbred Stakes schedule:

Saturday, Dec. 4 – The Starlet (Grade 1) – 2-Year-Old Fillies – One & One Sixteenth Miles – $300,000-guaranteed

Sunday, Dec. 5 – Bayakoa Stakes (Grade 3) – 3-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies & Mares – One & One Sixteenth Miles – $100,000-guaranteed

Saturday, Dec. 11 – Soviet Problem Stakes – 2-Year-Old Fillies, Bred or Sired in California – One Mile – $100,000-guaranteed

Saturday, Dec. 11 – Los Alamitos Futurity (Grade 2) – 2-Year-Olds – One & One Sixteenth Miles – $200,000-guaranteed

Sunday, Dec. 12 – King Glorious Stakes – 2-Year-Olds, Bred or Sired in California – One Mile – $100,000-guaranteed

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Cedillo, Miller Earn Los Al Titles

Jockey Abel Cedillo earned his second Los Alamitos riding title while trainer Peter Miller topped the trainer standings as the Los Angeles County Fair meet concluded Sunday. Cedillo also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

Miller finished the LACF season with seven wins, one more than Steve Miyadi. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was third with five. The title was the sixth Miller has either shared or won outright at Los Alamitos since daytime Thoroughbred racing returned in 2014.

All-sources handle for the LACF season showed a gain of 18% over comparable days in 2019. There was no September meet at Los Alamitos in 2020.

“While participation as the entry box could have been better, we very much appreciate those owners and trainers who did participate,” said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “The [handle] increase was more than 10% of what we had aggressively estimated and was attributable to an incredible 65% increase in advance deposit wagering in Southern California. We're looking forward to our upcoming Winter meet where purses will be substantially higher.”

Daytime Thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos for the seven-day Winter season Dec. 3.

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