Harris had his licence suspended in November and withdrawn in January by the BHA's Licensing Committee. The agency ruled he was not a “fit and proper person” to hold a training licence.

Regarding the BHA's concerns, the Licensing Committee said, they surrounded “the nature and extent of MH's admitted breaches of the conditions which already exist on his licence, which were imposed in 2018 and MH's failure to be candid in his dealings with the BHA in respect of those breaches, particularly when the BHA was seeking to provide opportunities for MH to remedy those breaches”, “misconduct in his dealings with others, including fellow licence holder Mr Simon Earle” and “in respect of safeguarding arising out of MH's conduct with young persons employed at his racing yard”.

Harris began training in 2001 but ceased training from 2011 to 2018 due to financial issues.

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Director of Enforcement Jason Klouser, who led the investigation, said, “The Racing Commission's investigators observed Danny Hamilton failing to weigh-out the jockeys for race 8, which is a violation of numerous sections of Pennsylvania's rules of racing.”

Klouser added, “At this point, the investigation into Hamilton's activities is ongoing to determine if there were any other violations.”

According to the stewards ruling which is posted on the commission's website, part of the duties of the Clerk of Scales and/or their assistant is to preside over the racing process from when the jockeys assemble before the race to weigh-out, all the way through its conclusion when they come off the course to weigh-in.

Hamilton appeared this past summer on an episode of Horse Racing Today co-hosted by Jamie Martinez in which he discussed his experiences and delved into his duties as a clerk.

On that program, Hamilton said, “We run a very tight ship here at Presque Isle.” When asked what happens if a rider's weight is off when he or she comes off the course, the clerk said with a laugh, “Well then we have real problems! Then the Racing Commission gets involved and stuff gets really real.”

He went on to say, “But we don't have that problem, all the riders come back heavier than what they went out. So, if you go out at 124 [pounds], chances are you're going to come in at 126 [pounds], 127 [pounds], because the saddle towel, the pad, the horse's are sweaty, it soaks up into the pad and saddle towel … it weighs a lot. If they come back lighter than they went out, major problem, if they come back heavier, then you're good to go.”

Growing up around racetracks, including Beulah Park and Delaware Park, Hamilton as recently as 2019 served as an inspector for the Ohio State Racing Commission. Since then, he's had several other stops at locations such as Oaklawn Park, where he was an integrity officer.

Hamilton was hired as the Clerk of Scales by Presque Isle Downs earlier this year after he was the horse identifier at the course during the 2022 season. An attempt was made to contact the track's Director of Racing, Matthew Ennis, but several messages were not returned.

Currently, Hamilton is serving as a placing judge at Fair Grounds, which is also owned by Churchill Downs Inc.

Klouser confirmed that, “We have notified the Louisiana Racing Commission of the pending suspension.”

As for the ruling, Hamilton is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission and does have the right to appeal. He was unable to be reached for comment.

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In ruling, the stewards wrote that the suspension was “for failure to give his best effort and failure to use the proper diligence in Race 7 on September 23, 2023 while astride the horse Ridin With Biden…”

The suspension began Thursday and will conclude on Oct. 27. Lopez has waived his right to appeal.

“The penalty is justified,” said trainer Butch Reid. “We have to look out for our owners as well as the betting public. My concern was that the horse was sound and he is. He has been inspected by state vets three times since the race and is fine.”

In the Greenwood Cup, a mile-and-a-half race, Ridin With Biden chased the winner Next (Not This Time) for about 10 furlongs before that rival started to pull away to what would become a 25-length laugher. However, Ridin With Biden appeared to have second-place wrapped up as he was eight lengths clear of the rest of the field at the eighth pole. But when he pulled the horse up, he was caught for the place, losing out by a nose to 84-1 shot My Imagination (Lea).

Here's how the Equibase chart caller saw it: “Ridin With Biden prompted the winner to midway on the final turn, proved no match then was eased in the final stages costing the place.”

For third-place, Ridin With Biden earned $19,000 or $19,000 less than the second-place payout of $38,000. Lopez's move also, no doubt, costs plenty of bettors. The combination of Next over Ridin With Biden was the lowest payout among all exactas.

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The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) published the verdict of an appeals body panel Wednesday evening. The panel was chaired by Justice Peter Kelly. The suspension of the final four years of the disqualification is contingent on adhering to the rules, a breach of which would reinstate the full sentence.

McNally's penalties-including the 12-year suspension, charges of €50,000 and the return of €13,000 in prize-money-were handed down in January, and the following month, he announced that he had formally appealed the Board's findings. The appeals panel convened last month to consider McNally's appeal against the sanctions handed to the trainer in late January by the referrals committee and later dismissed McNally's appeal against the findings of the committee.

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Trainer Marvin Richards was issued a $5,000 fine and suspended for one year (May 7, 2022 through and including May 6, 2023) for a post-race test of Awesomenewyear, winner of the sixth race at Monmouth Park on Sept. 3, 2021. The post-race sample was positive for oxazepam (a sedative designed to treat anxiety, anxiety with depression, and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal) and ibuprofen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory), a violation of N.J.A.C 13:70-14A.1(b) (substances foreign to the natural horse) and 13:70-14A.6 (absolute insurer rule).

Awesomenewyear was disqualified from that victory, and the Horseman's Bookkeeper was ordered to redistribute purse money. Richards incurred 2.5 multiple medication violation points.

Trainer Wayne Potts and his assistant Bonnie Lucas were each fined $1,000 and suspended for 30 days (from May 7, 2022 through and including June 5, 2022) over a ruling initially issued on Sept. 18, 2021. The text for that ruling indicates that Potts' trainee Chispita finished second in the fourth race at Monmouth Park on Aug. 6, 2021, and the state veterinarian ordered that that she be vanned off the track in the equine ambulance. Potts ordered his licensed assistant, Bonnie Lucas, to not allow the horse to be vanned off. The state veterinarian voided a claim on Chispita for that Aug. 6 race; the filly has not run since.

The fine and suspension stem from violations of the following rules:

• N.J.A.C. 13:70-1.15 – The stewards may fine, suspend or rule off any person who in their opinion has acted to the detriment of racing or violated the rules.
• N.J.A.C. 13:70-14.13 – Every association, all officials and employees thereof, and all persons licensed in any capacity by the Commission shall give every possible cooperation, aid and assistance to any department, bureau, division, officer, agent or inspector, or any other person connected with the United States Government, or with the State of New Jersey, who may be investigating or prosecuting any matter involving a violation of any law, or any rules or regulations of the Commission. Failure to cooperate will subject the person or persons involved to a fine, suspension or both.

Additional rulings included:

• A $1,000 fine issued to trainer Peter Walder after Briella's first-place finish in the seventh race on Sept. 4 at Monmouth. The post-race sample showed the presence of aminocaproic acid (Amicar); Briella was ordered disqualified.
• A $500 fine issued to trainer Jose D'Angelo after his trainee Avenida Manana' first-place finish in the seventh race on Sept. 18 at Monmouth. The post-race sample showed the presence of 5-hydroxydantrolene (dantrolene), and was ordered disqualified.

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The stewards apparently did not accept Montalvo's claim that his safety was in danger. The New Jersey Racing Commission does not permit its stewards to speak to the media and the commission itself does not normally returns calls from the press. As of the deadline for this story, the racing commission had not returned a call from the TDN seeking comment and clarification on the Montalvo situation.

Montalvo's suspension is set to begin August 24, but his attorney, Drew Mollica, said the jockey plans on filing an appeal.

In a related development, it has been learned that the stewards issued another five-day suspension for use of the whip when setting down jockey Carlos E. Lopez for his ride in another July 11 race. Lopez was clearly using his whip to urge his horse and will not be contesting the ruling. Lopez was suspended on July 18.

To date, there has also not been a word on the status of jockey Flavien Prat, who could be facing a suspension after he was disqualified aboard Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) after crossing the wire first in the GI Haskell S. Hot Rod Charlie may have come over in the stretch, causing Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) to clip heels with his rival. Aboard Midnight Bourbon, jockey Paco Lopez was thrown to the track but was not seriously injured.

Despite the new whipping rules, the first six weeks of the meet were largely uneventful and there were no incidents that led to the stewards suspending a rider. That all changed in the first race on July 11 when Montalvo clearly struck his mount three times with a right-handed whip. It also appeared that the horse, described as a “terribly mannered horse” by Montalvo's agent, Doug Hatten, was attempting to get out. M I Six eventually straightened himself out and went on to win the races at odds of 28-1.

Shortly after learning of the ruling, Mollica lashed out at the New Jersey Racing Commission.

'This suspension is contrary to everything that this rule is supposed to stand for,” he said. “Montalvo acted properly. He used the whip in an emergency situation to protect himself, his fellow riders, the horse and the betting public. His actions were exactly what this rule was created for. To now sanction him shows the hypocrisy  of this racing commission and we intend to appeal this to a fair judge who understands that his use of the crop was proper in an emergency situation. The proof is in the pudding. Look at what happened in the Haskell when the jockey did not use his whip to protect the safety of another rider. A jockey in an emergency situation has to be given the benefit of the doubt. His use of the whip prevented a catastrophe and to now try to suspend him is not only hypocritical it is dangerous.”

Mollica said the appeal will be go to an administrative law judge.

In his first ride ever at Monmouth, Lopez was aboard Venezuelan Talent (Outwork) in a maiden special weight race. He had a narrow lead in the stretch before being confronted on the outside by the eventual winner Emirates Affair (Handsome Mike). Lopez went to the whip in an obvious attempt to encourage the horse. He finished second behind Emirates Affair.

Lopez's agent, Kevin Witte, said that his rider accepted responsibility for his actions, but added that his unfamiliarity with Monmouth and the rules were factors.

“It was the first time the rider rode there and he does not speak any English,” Witte said. “He was told in Spanish by another rider not to hit the horse. He understood but he carried the stick to be safe. Coming down to the wire he was in front, he felt pressure from the outside and he reacted. Jockeys have a habit of riding the way they ride. He understood the rule, but they were coming down to the wire, he was in front, felt pressure from the outside. It was just a mistake. He was used to whipping coming to the wire. He came back and said, 'I messed up. I apologize.'”

Lopez's suspension will begin July 24 and run through July 29.

Without access to the stewards or the racing commission, the TDN was not able to determine whether or not Venezuelan Talent and M I Six were disqualified from purse money because of the whipping.

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Following a July 30 hearing, the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission stewards issued the ruling Aug. 3. The suspension is to run from Aug. 6-15.

Among the rules deemed by stewards to have been violated by Caballero:

• “Prohibited use of the riding crop includes but is not limited to striking a horse: During the post parade or after the finish of the race except when necessary to control the horse.”
• The stimulus provided by the use of the riding crop shall be monitored by the Stewards at all times so as not to compromise the health, safety and welfare of the horse.”
• “A licensee shall not, alone or in concert with another person, engage in inappropriate, illegal or unethical conduct which violates the Commission’s rules and regulations of racing, is inconsistent with the best interests and integrity of racing or otherwise undermines the general public’s faith, public perception and confidence in the racing industry.”

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