Three more positive tests for methamphetamine were reported this week on the pending violations list on the public disclosures section of the website for the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).
One was for Prairie Meadows-based trainer Dick Clark, who already had two runners test positive and added another this week.
The other two were from trainees conditioned by Randy Preston at Belterra Park and Ramon Rechy at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Other notes of interest this week include the 22-month suspension of trainer Jeffrey Poole for possession of Thyro-L. Poole told the Paulick Report a veterinarian in Ohio prescribed the drug in September 2022 for a horse in his barn that subsequently was sold and that it was mistakenly packed up when his stable moved to Tampa Bay Downs and then Gulfstream Park. He said the drug was not given to any other horses in his care.
Trainer Chad Brown also has a pending violation for the controlled substance omeprazole from a post-workout test on a horse at Monmouth Park.
Last week's edition of the HIWU Weekly Roundup is available here, and all public disclosures can be found on the HIWU website.
Pending Violations – Provisional Suspensions For Banned Substances
The following cases include pending violations for banned substances, those that are not permitted in horses. New cases are listed in italics at the top of the list, and active suspensions have the trainer's name listed in bold.
Postponed suspensions, those for substances yet to be confirmed by split sample, have the trainer's name underlined and are listed with an asterisk (*).
- Trainer Dick Clark – possession of Levothyroxine, three runners have tested positive for methamphetamine (one horse was positive three times)
- Kissed a Cadet tested positive after finishing first in a maiden special weight at Prairie Meadows on June 22.
- Colonel Klink first tested positive after finishing second in an allowance optional claiming race at Prairie Meadows on June 19. The 7-year-old gelding has since raced three more times, finishing first in a claiming race on July 3, third in a starter allowance on July 9, and second in a claiming race on July 22. Colonel Klink also tested positive on July 3 and 22.
- My Heart's On Fire tested positive after finishing first in a maiden special weight race at Prairie Meadows on June 19.
- Trainer Randy Preston – Fly Home tested positive for methamphetamine after winning a maiden claiming race at Belterra Park on July 20.
- *Trainer Jim Lewis – Hughie's Holiday tested positive for clenbuterol after winning a claiming race at Ruidoso Downs on July 8.
- Trainer Ramon Rechy – Night Livin tested positive for methamphetamine after winning a claiming race at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 7.
- Trainer Milton Pineda – seven runners have now tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine – find more information in this Paulick Report story, including why a supplement may be to blame for the positives
- Wegonahaveagoodtime won a $12,500 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 4, after which he tested positive.
- Keep Your Coil won a $25,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 2, after which she tested positive.
- Catbernay won a $10,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on July 1, after which he tested positive.
- Chollima won an $8,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 23, after which she tested positive, and has since finished second in a $12,500 claiming race
- Big Splash won a $16,000 waiver claiming event at Santa Anita on June 10, after which he tested positive. Big Splash has since finished third in an allowance optional claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 24.
- Flatterwithjewels finished second in a $12,500 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 9 and was claimed by Flurry Racing Stables and trainer Phil D'Amato. The claim will be voided under HISA rules.
- Bella Renella won a $20,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 2, after which she tested positive. The 6-year-old mare has since won a starter optional claiming race at Santa Anita on June 18.
- Trainer Natalia Lynch – possession of Levothyroxine, and a gelding in her care tested positive for altrenogest.
- Motion to Strike tested positive for altrenogest after the gelding finished fourth in a claiming race at Monmouth Park on June 24. He was claimed from that race by owner/trainer Silvino Ramirez, and has since finished third in a claiming race at Monmouth on July 14. Under HISA rules, the claim will be voided.
- *Trainer Bruno Tessore – Tenebris, a gelding, tested positive for altrenogest on July 18 (no races or workouts listed on that date by Equibase).
- Trainer John Pimental – Golovkin tested positive for methamphetamine after finishing last (sixth) in a claiming race at Monmouth Park on May 29. A claim on the horse was voided from this race.
- Trainer Lorenzo Ruiz – three runners have tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine
- Kant Beat The Rock tested positive after finishing second in a starter allowance race at Los Alamitos on July 4.
- American Cat tested positive after winning a $16,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 25. The 4-year-old gelding has since finished third in an allowance optional claimer at Los Al on July 9.
- Facts Matter tested positive after winning a starter allowance race at Los Alamitos on June 23. The 8-year-old gelding has since finished fifth in a claiming race at Los Al on July 8.
- Ruiz is a multiple stakes-winning Quarter Horse trainer based at Los Al, though he has not started any Quarter Horses since 2022. Since HISA/HIWU have no jurisdiction over Quarter Horse racing, whether or not Ruiz would be able to race Quarter Horses will be up to the state racing commission and/or local racetrack. Ruiz has not started any horses, Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse, since July 9.
- *Trainer David Reid – Maligator tested positive for venlafaxine (an anti-depressant and nerve pain medication) after winning a claiming race at Hawthorne on June 25. The 8-year-old gelding has since finished second in a claiming race at Hawthorne on July 16.
- *Trainer Javier Morzan – Lady Liv tested positive for metformin (a commonly used prescription drug that treats diabetes) after finishing third in a starter optional claiming race at Delaware Park on June 24.
- *Trainer Mary Pirone – Benny The Jet tested positive for altrenogest after the gelding finished fifth in a claiming race at Emerald Downs on June 24. He was claimed from that race and moved to the barn of trainer Jorge Rosales, and has since won a claiming race at Emerald on July 14. Under HISA rules, the claim will be voided.
- Trainer Joseph Taylor – two runners have tested positive for both methylphenidate and clenbuterol
- Classy American finished second in a starter allowance at Parx on June 20
- Cajun Cousin finished second in a claiming race at Parx on June 18. The 4-year-old filly has since won a claiming race at Parx on July 12, prior to the positive being called. Cajun Cousin was claimed out of that race by trainer Michael V. Pino for Smart Angle LLP; the claim will be voided under HISA rules.
- *Trainer Donald H. Buckner – In the Midst tested positive for clenbuterol after finishing fifth in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 15.
- *Trainer Guadalupe Munoz Elizondo – Quinton's Charmer tested positive for metformin, a medication commonly prescribed in humans for type 2 diabetes, on June 11, 2023 (the New Mexico Racing Commission's Izzy Trejo confirmed that the positive test was incurred after a work before the state veterinarian in an attempt to remove Quinton's Charmer from the vet's list).
- Munoz Elizondo is also a multiple graded stakes-winning Quarter Horse trainer. Since HISA/HIWU have no jurisdiction over Quarter Horse racing, Munoz Elizondo will still be able to train and race Quarter Horses in New Mexico. Trejo said that HISA gave guidance last year that jockeys suspended for whip violations on a Thoroughbred could ride in Quarter Horse races, so the NMRC has applied the same logic to a trainer with a HIWU suspension. Thus, Munoz Elizondo is permitted to participate in Quarter Horse races. Trejo added that the commission is pushing for a state rule that will apply reciprocity at the NMRC level for HISA suspensions, but that isn't in place yet.
- *Trainer Reed Saldana – Ice Queen tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine after finishing third in a starter allowance at Santa Anita on June 16 – find more information in this Paulick Report story, including why a supplement may be to blame for the positives
- Dr. Luis Jorge Perez, DVM – possession of levothyroxine (violation date June 9)
- Trainer Dennis VanMeter – Templement tested positive for isoxsuprine after finishing sixth in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 7, 2023 (see above, horse also returned positive test for controlled substance phenylbutazone)
- Trainer Jeffrey Poole – possession of levothyroxine (violation date June 2)
- Trainer Jonathan Wong – Heaven and Earth tested positive for metformin after winning a maiden race at Horseshoe Indianapolis on June 1 – Wong's suspension had been reverted to postponed status, but the split sample test returned a positive result for metformin so the trainer's suspension was reinstated.
- Trainer Ray Handal – HIWU has lifted the provisional suspension of trainer Raymond Handal, who was told June 30 a horse in his care tested positive for the banned substance zeranol, but the equine anti-doping notice has not been withdrawn. (Attorney Clark Brewster told the Paulick Report that literature shows mycotoxins found on corn or grain can produce zearalenone. Zeranol is a metabolite of zearalenone.)
- Trainer Mario A. Dominguez – Petulant Delight tested positive for cobalt after winning a claiming race at Parx on May 24.
New Case Resolutions
The following cases have recently been resolved by HIWU, either by early admission and acceptance of consequences (EAAC) or by final decision (FINAL).
- Trainer Tina Chamberlain – Rosebud Ryde tested positive for methocarbamol following a workout at Finger Lakes on June 28. Chamberlain has been fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (EAAC).
- Trainer Climaco Galindo-Torres – Delaney's Grace tested positive for Salicylic Acid following an eighth-place finish in a maiden claiming race at Belterra Park on June 8. A claim on the horse was processed for owner/trainer John Howard, and Delaney's Grace has since finished eighth in a maiden special weight race at Belterra on July 8. That claim will now be voided under HISA rules. The horse was ordered disqualified from the June 8 race, with purse money ordered returned, and Galindo-Torres was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (EAAC).
- Trainer Jeffrey Poole has been suspended for 22 months over possession of Thyro-L, fined $10,000, and ordered to pay $8,000 in arbitration costs (FINAL).
- Trainer Sandino Hernandez, Jr. – Jonas' Dream tested positive for naproxen after winning a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on May 25. The horse has been disqualified with purse money ordered returned, and Hernandez was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (EAAC).
Pending Violations – Controlled Substances
The following cases include pending violations for controlled substances, those that are permitted for therapeutic purposes (new cases in italics at top of list).
- Trainer Sergio Alvaraez – Mischief Mame tested positive for methocarbamol after finishing third in a maiden claiming race at Emerald Downs on July 8.
- Trainer Chad Brown – Forced Ranking tested positive for omeprazole after a work at Monmouth Park on July 7.
- Trainer Jeff Flectcher – Tier One tested positive for flunixin (banamine) after a win at Thistledown on July 6.
- Trainer Benjamin Feliciano – Orville Street tested positive for both phenylbutazone and methocarbamol on June 25. (horse appears to be based at Laurel Park, but has not started and no workout was record on that date.)
- Trainer William Martin – Alkalinization or use of an alkalinizing agent (TCO2) on Wild Agent prior to his win in a claiming race at Presque Isle Downs on July 3.
- Trainer Samuel Calvario – Griffith Park tested positive for triamcinolone after a work at Pleasanton on June 30.
- Trainer Mario Serey, Jr. – Harper's Do tested positive for phenylbutazone after finishing seventh in a claiming race at Delaware Park on June 28.
- Trainer Jose Camejo – Fire King tested positive for promazine sulfoxide and methocarbamol after a work at Monmouth Park on June 11.
- Trainer Javier Hernandez – two trainees tested positive for salicylic acid
- Chief Mystique won a claiming race at Belterra Park on June 10
- Fast Fall won a maiden special weight at Belterra on June 10
- Trainer Dennis VanMeter – Templement tested positive for phenylbutazone in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 7, 2023 (finished sixth after clipping heels at the start). VanMeter is also provisionally suspended as Templement returned a positive test for the banned substance isoxsuprene in the same race.
Last week's edition of the HIWU Weekly Roundup is available here, and all public disclosures can be found on the HIWU website.
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