Richard Vega | Horse Racing Free Tips

Parx Investigation Finds Contraband, Suspensions Expected

According to numerous sources, the Pennsylvania Racing Commission stopped several cars over the weekend going through the backstretch gates at Parx and the search uncovered a number of illegal items, including syringes and an electrical device. According to the sources, at least three people have already been summarily suspended, including a jockey and at least two trainers.

A groom was also found to have a gun in his possession and marijuana, which is illegal in the state.

The TDN was unable to reach anyone at the racing commission for additional details.

A similar investigation at Parx in July of last year resulted in a two-year suspension for trainer Richard Vega, who, investigators determined, was in possession of needles and syringes. Vega's suspension was set to expire on June 28, 2023, but he recently returned to training and started a horse at Parx on Sept. 19.

The TDN will continue to follow this story as details develop.

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West Point CEO Terry Finley Talks First Captain, Owners’ Responsibilities On Writers’ Room

Represented by undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin) this past weekend when the chestnut captured the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont, West Point Thoroughbreds' CEO Terry Finley joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Finley talked about the next steps for West Point's prized 3-year-old, the growing purchasing power of partnerships across racing, owners' responsibility in cleaning up the sport and more.

“He's probably going to have to take another step forward, but at least we're in a spot in the middle of his 3-year-old year where he can take that step forward,” Finley said of three-for-three First Captain, a $1.5-million yearling buy owned in partnership with Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing. “I think he's right on the cusp and obviously so far hasn't done a whole lot wrong. He's been brought along by a pretty good trainer in the likes of Shug McGaughey and his team. So we're excited. And the thought of going to Saratoga—we've never gone to Saratoga with the prospect of getting to the Travers. So that in and of itself is really, really exciting for all the partners and for the West Point team and everybody associated with us.”

The conversation turned to racing's ongoing and developing efforts for reform, and Finley was asked what level of responsibility lies with owners when it comes to employing trainers who are taking an edge.

“We have a part to play,” he said. “I'm not accepting of the guys who are winning at 30% and have made a lot of money and gotten a lot of pictures taken, then their trainer gets popped and they're like, 'Oh, I didn't know.' I just tell owners out there, if your trainer spent 20 years at 14% or 17% and now they're at 29%, you should be asking questions. You know what you've done. There aren't enough variables in training a horse to move an operation from 17% to 29%. So at that very basic level, you have to ask questions and raise an eyebrow. Everybody can do their part. And I think we're getting to the point where people and major organizations in the industry have stood up and said, 'No more.'”

Elsewhere in the show, which is also sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, the Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Project and Legacy Bloodstock, the writers broke down an action-packed holiday weekend of racing, discussed the two-year suspension for Parx trainer Richard Vega and celebrated their upcoming return to the Writers' Room studio. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Trainer Richard Vega Handed Two-Year Suspension

Trainer Richard Vega has been hit with a two-year suspension by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after a May 25 backstretch raid at Parx allegedly turned up a number of needles and syringes in his tack room.

Paulick Report was the first to report on Vega's suspension, which was handed down June 29 and does not expire until June 28, 2023.

According to a ruling posted on the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission's website, during the search of Vega's tack room investigators found 21 loaded syringes, 18 needles, one intravenous filled bag and one intravenous catheter. The ruling did not specify what, if anything, was found in the syringes and the racing commission's Director of Thoroughbred Horse Racing Tom Chuckas did not return a phone call seeking comment. As in most states, in Pennsylvania, only licensed veterinarians may be in possession of needles and syringes, no matter what drugs or medications might be found in them.

Vega's attorney Alan Pincus told the TDN Tuesday that he had filed an appeal in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court seeking a stay of the suspension. If the stay is granted, Vega could be allowed to continue training.

The search of Vega's tack room was part of a wide-ranging investigation in which cars coming in and out of the stable area were checked, 66 out-of-competition tests were performed and six barns and six tack rooms were searched. To date, Vega is the only Parx-based trainer to have been suspended.

Vega was summarily suspended following the raid and has not started a horse since May 19.

So far as the severity of the infraction goes, Chuckas has sent a mixed message. Shortly after the raid and during a meeting of the commission, Chuckas said that a “significant amount of contraband” had been found and said what was found were “items that have no business on the backside.” But, a month later, Chuckas, during another commission meeting, said that raids at both Parx and Penn National found “nothing of substance.”

“[Vega's] due process was horribly violated,” Pincus said. “And Mr. Chuckas made comments saying there was nothing of any substance found. As soon as the judge makes a ruling I will have plenty more to say.”

Vega has been enshrined in the Parx Hall of Fame and has won 1,115 races during a career that began in 1992. His starters have earned $19,519,981. He emigrated from Cuba in 1980 and began his career on the track as a groom in Florida. His clients have included Sal DeBunda, who is the president and general counsel of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA) and is a member of the state racing commission.

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Parx Trainer Vega Handed 730-Day Suspension By Pennsylvania Stewards, Plans Appeal

Trainer/owner Ricardo Vega, who operates Richard Vega Racing Stable, was hit with a 730-day suspension on June 29 for possession of 21 loaded syringes, 18 needles, one filled IV bag and an IV catheter. Vega was summarily suspended by emergency order in late May after a large-scale raid at Parx turned up prohibited items, though previous rulings had not included many details about what was found.

The ruling, which was issued by the Pennsylvania board of stewards, stated the contraband was found in a locked tack room belonging to Vega, though Vega's attorney, Alan Pincus, has said previously the tack room was utilized by multiple trainers and was not kept locked.

The ruling did not specify what substances were in the equipment found in the raid. Pincus said he has not been provided with test results on the substances but pointed to comments made by Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission executive director Tom Chuckas at a June 29 commission meeting saying the May raids turned up “nothing of substance.”

The suspension is scheduled to run from June 29, 2021 to June 28, 2023. Pincus told the Paulick Report he filed an appeal of the June 29 stewards' ruling with the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Vega has not saddled a horse since May 19 due to the summary suspension that was put in place ahead of the stewards' hearing on the matter. Pincus has also filed a request for a stay of the summary suspension, and said July 6 the courts have not yet decided whether Vega will be permitted to train while the appeals process is worked out.

Vega is a member of the Parx Hall of Fame and has trained winners of over 1,100 races to earnings of more than $19.5 million. He took out his trainer's license in 1992 after starting in the business as a hotwalker in Florida in the 1980s and working as an assistant to Al Hinson. He is a graded stakes-placed trainer and is the conditioner of Dulce Realidad, Philadelphia Park's Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 2008 and 1999 Philadelphia Park Claiming Horse of the Year Open Ice Hit. Among other clients, Vega has trained horses for Dun Roamin Farm, the nom de course for Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association president Sal DeBunda, who represents the THA as a member of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.

According to a report presented at a regular meeting of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission May 25, state investigators searched six barns, six tack rooms, five grooms' quarters and five external tack rooms. They also completed 66 out-of-competition tests. Although he could not reveal specifics, commission executive director Tom Chuckas said at that meeting the raid revealed “a significant amount of contraband … dealing with medications, either unlabeled, compounded, or expired.

“I regret to say that there were contraband that have no business on the backside, like needles and syringes and some other things that we discovered,” Chuckas said.

Pennsylvania state code prohibits anyone other than licensed veterinarians from possessing syringes, needles, or injectable medications on the backstretch.

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