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After Positive Hair Tests, Sam Houston Futurity Will Be Held As Non-Wagering Event; Trainers Barred From Entry Box

On Wednesday, the Paulick Report learned that six of the 10 finalists in Friday night's $731,650 Sam Houston Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, were found to have either clenbuterol or albuterol in hair samples taken on May 15.

Two other horses' sample sizes were insufficient and two of the 10 tested clean.

Thursday, Sam Houston Race Park announced that Friday's Grade 2 race will be held as a non-wagering event, and that trainers of horses testing positive will be barred from entering at the track, effective immediately.

The full statement from Sam Houston is as follows:

The Texas Racing Commission (TxRC) performed two separate testing methods on the qualifiers for the Sam Houston Futurity.

· Post-race Blood and Urine samples on the qualifying nights (May 7 and May 8)

· Hair Test samples on May 15th

Throughout this time period, all qualifiers were required to remain on Sam Houston Race Park (SHRP) property until the conclusion of the finals. TxRC staff notified SHRP that all post-race samples were negative for the ten qualifying participants prior to entry day on May 21 for the Sam Houston Futurity Finals.

On Wednesday, May 26, TxRC staff informed Sam Houston Race Park of the following results from the hair testing performed on May 15:

· Six (6) positive results for either Clenbuterol and or Albuterol (both prohibited in Texas)

· Two (2) results were deemed inconclusive

· Two (2) results were negative

A second hair sample was taken on May 26 of those horses who tested positive or inconclusive.

Based on this information, and to protect the interest of the wagering public, Sam Houston Race Park will conduct the running of this race as a NON-WAGERING event and those Sam Houston Futurity participants will compete for purse money only.

Effective immediately and until further notice, Sam Houston Race Park will stop accepting future entries from those trainers whose horses tested positive. Entries have already been accepted through Thursday, June 3, 2021.

Sam Houston Race Park reserves the right to issue further disciplinary actions against the trainers of these horses, pending actions of the Texas Racing Commission, including the results of second hair test samples if applicable.

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Saratoga To Allow Vaccinated Fans At Near Full Capacity; Tickets Go On Sale June 9

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), in conjunction with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, today announced that Saratoga Race Course will re-open to fans at near full capacity for the 2021 summer meet.

Season and weekly ticket plans for the 2021 meet, which opens on Thursday, July 15 and continues through Monday, September 6, will go on sale on Wednesday, June 9 at 10 a.m. at NYRA.com. Season admission passes will also be available for purchase at that time.

In order to re-open Saratoga Race Course to fans at near full capacity, NYRA will designate most sections for vaccinated fans only, including the popular Saratoga backyard. This policy aligns with current New York State guidance for large outdoor sports and entertainment venues, which allows for fully vaccinated sections to operate at full capacity without social distancing measures in place.

“The historic Saratoga Race Course is one of the Capital Region's most storied attractions, drawing over a million New Yorkers and visitors to Saratoga Springs each summer,” Gov. Cuomo said. “The racing season is quickly approaching, and this year we are excited to welcome fans back to the course with free admission on Opening Day for any individual who shows proof of vaccination. This is all part of New York's rebirth and resurgence as we continue to build back better and stronger from this pandemic.”

As announced today by Gov. Cuomo, all fans who show proof of vaccination via the New York State Excelsior Pass on Opening Day, Thursday, July 15, will receive free Grandstand general admission. Fans from outside New York State may redeem free admission by showing their Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card.

“NYRA thanks Governor Cuomo for the opportunity to welcome fans back to Saratoga Race Course for what is sure to be an unforgettable summer at the Spa,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “Thanks to the progress made in New York against COVID-19, the 2021 summer meet will be a 40-day celebration of all that makes Saratoga so special. Beyond its importance to the thoroughbred racing community and legions of passionate fans, the annual summer meet is an economic engine that creates jobs and supports the hospitality and tourism economy throughout Upstate New York. We appreciate the opportunity to open the gates at this most historic of sporting venues on July 15, and to join our fans in a collective roar of 'They're off at Saratoga.'”

Season and weekly ticket plans for reserved seats in the Clubhouse, Grandstand, The Stretch and Fourstardave Sports Bar will go on sale on Wednesday, June 9, in addition to season admission passes.

Season passes, which are valid for vaccinated fans only, provide admission to all 40 days at Saratoga Race Course. Season passes do not include reserved seating and will be available by digital download only. Printed versions or hard copies will not be available. A Grandstand season pass is $50. A Clubhouse season pass is $75. Season passes may be purchased at NYRA.com beginning on June 9.

Individual tickets and tickets for other areas of Saratoga Race Course, including dining, will go on sale at a later date.

In addition to the historic and family-friendly backyard picnic area, sections that will be reserved exclusively for vaccinated fans and will operate at full capacity will include: the 1863 Club, The Stretch, Turf Terrace, Porch, Clubhouse and most of the stadium seats within the Grandstand.

Under New York State guidelines, non-vaccinated children under the age of 16 will be admitted to seating and hospitality areas designated for vaccinated fans when accompanied by a vaccinated adult.

A limited number of seating areas will be available for non-vaccinated fans, who will be required to observe social distancing guidelines and to wear a facial covering at all times during their day at Saratoga Race Course.

Single-day Grandstand general admission tickets are $7 and Clubhouse general admission tickets are $10. Walk-up admission will be available daily and does not include reserved seating. Upon entry, fans must submit proof of vaccination by presenting the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or digitally through the New York State Excelsior Pass.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated by the CDC/New York State 14 days or more after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or 14 days or more after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson / Janssen).

NYRA encourages all fans who have been vaccinated in New York State to download the Excelsior Pass at https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/excelsior-pass.

NYRA reserves the right to amend admission protocols based on updates and adjustments by the CDC and New York State.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 7, as the anchors of two of the most prestigious racing days in North America.

Following the four-day opening weekend from Thursday, July 15 through Sunday, July 18, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day.

For additional information, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

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Sadler Faces Class 1 Drug Complaint After Flagstaff Tests Positive For Bisphosphonate

The California Horse Racing Board has filed a complaint against trainer John Sadler after graded stakes winner Flagstaff tested positive for clodronic acid, a bisphosphonate sold under the brand name Osphos, following a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Sept. 27, 2020, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. A split sample confirmed the presence of the drug.

Flagstaff, a now 7-year-old gelding by Speightstown, is owned by Lane's End Racing and Hronis Racing LLC. He recently scored his first G1 victory in the Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs.

Because clodronic acid is not included on the CHRB's current list of prohibited substances, under the regulatory body's rules it automatically falls under the most severe drug category, Class 1. A medication classification proposal working its way through the CHRB's approval process recommends classifying clodronate (clodronic acid) as Class 3, but in the A penalty category.

Proposed amendments for medication violations require a one-year suspension absent mitigating circumstances along with a minimum fine of $10,000 for Category A penalties. Owners face loss of purse and potential placement of a horse on the vet's list for up to 90 days.

Complicating Sadler's status is the fact he is on probation as part of a settlement agreement issued in June 2020 for three medication violations from April and May 2019. Sadler received a 60-day suspension, but 45 days of the ban were stayed provided he have no Class 1, 2 or 3 violations during a probationary period that ends June 28, 2021.

Bisphosphonates are a class of drug approved by the FDA in 2014 and prescribed to prevent bone loss in people and to treat navicular syndrome in horses, a common cause of forelimb lameness. The drug is not approved for horses less than four years old.

Equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle warned about the use of bisphosphonates Osphos and Tildren in young horses during a client education seminar in 2018, saying the drug can have unintended, detrimental side effects. Many racing states moved to ban the drugs.

The CHRB banned bisphosphonates effective July 1, 2020, saying that any horse administered the drug in the previous six months – effectively a cutoff date of Jan. 1, 2020 – was prohibited from stabling on CHRB regulated grounds.

Sadler referred questions to attorney Darrell Vienna, who said Flagstaff was legally treated with Osphos on an unspecified date “late in 2019” when Flagstaff was 5 years old.

Vienna cited the extended half life of Osphos as an explanation for the positive test, saying it can linger in a horse's system for many months or even longer than a year.

Sadler, whose best horses include 3-year-old filly champion Stellar Wind and Horse of the Year Accelerate, is the trainer of this year's G1 Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, a prospective starter in the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 5.

The complaint against Sadler was ordered on April 28 but not published on the CHRB's website until Wednesday, May 26. No hearing date has been set at this time.

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Baffert The Center Of Two More Civil Suits In Federal Court In Medina Spirit Case

Days after a group of four horseplayers filed suit against trainer Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit owner Zedan Racing over the expected disqualification of the horse from his Kentucky Derby win, Baffert has been named in two more similar federal lawsuits.

Both follow a similar premise to the May 13 civil suit filed by horseplayers Michael Beychok, Justin Wunderler, Michael Meegan and Keith Mauer. One was filed May 24 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by bettor Jeffrey Kaufman, who accuses Baffert and Zedan Racing of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act due to the presence of a regulated substance, betamethasone, Baffert said he was informed was detected on the horse's post-race tests. The drug has yet to be confirmed in split-sample tests. Kaufman's suit alleges that Baffert's history of drug positives establishes a pattern and that his assurances to the public in late 2020 that he intended to improve barn procedures was trusted by bettors.

Kaufman's suit is also designed to be a class action on behalf of other bettors on the Kentucky Derby “who would have won their bets and winnings had Medina spirit been properly prohibiting from competing in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2021, or competed without the aid of an illegal drug.”

Kaufman requests, among other things, court-imposed restrictions on Baffert's “future activities in Thoroughbred racing.”

The Kaufman suit accuses Baffert and Zedan of violating the RICO Act, common law fraud, and equitable fraud, and Baffert alone of conspiring to violate California laws against racketeering. Baffert and Zedan have not yet filed responses.

Read that complaint here.

Another horseplayer, Florida-based Anthony Mattera, filed suit against Baffert and Churchill Downs in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky based on the Medina Spirit drug positive, but that case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Mattera claims, based on Baffert's history of drug violations, Churchill Downs should have refused his entry of Medina Spirit into the race and also that the track could have implemented its own pre-race testing procedures. (The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission already conducts pre-race testing for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.) Mattera also claimed the track should not have calculated the payouts based on the results with Medina Spirit as the winner.

Mattera also seeks to have his lawsuit recognized as a class action. Mattera's suit alleges negligence on the part of Baffert and Churchill, and violation of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act and unjust enrichment by Churchill. Mattera seeks to permanently enjoin Churchill from conducting racing until it meets a number of conditions to screen horses pre-race, settle wagers that change as the result of disqualifications, and publicly disclose medical records among other things. Baffert and Churchill have not yet filed responses.

Read that complaint here.

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