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Drafted Owners Appeal HISA Ruling

The owners of Drafted (Field Commission) have appealed a ruling handed down by the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) that could cost them $26,000 in purse money because their jockey Luis Castro violated HISA rules regarding the use of the whip. The incident occurred in the GI Forego S., where Drafted finished fifth.

NYRA stewards determined that Castro hit the gelding 10 times during the race. Under HISA regulations that have been in place since July 1, a rider cannot whip a horse more than six times.

According to the Daily Racing Form, under HISA rules, if a jockey strikes a horse seven to nine times during a race, there is no loss of purse. Instead, the rider is fined and suspended for one day. And when a jockey hits a horse 10 to 13 times, the jockey receives a three-day suspension and the horse is disqualified when it comes to purse earnings.

The owners are Thomas O'Keefe, Truls Engebretsen and Kevin Hilbert and they are seeking a reinstatement of the purse. The trainer is David Duggan. The group is being represented by attorney Andrew Mollica. Mollica contends that the owners' rights to due process have been violated because there was no hearing and no appeal process.

“My clients are making a serious appeal here,” Mollica said. “The loss of purse money by owners for alleged crop violations is not only unconstitutional it is flat our wrong. My clients are fighting this not only for themselves but all owners who race in New York. It is a cause that frankly all NYTHA should join because all of its members will one day or another be adversely effected.”

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CJ Johnsen Joins Bettor Things with Joe Bianca

On this week's episode of Bettor Things with Joe Bianca, the host talks to handicapper, owner/breeder and former racetrack executive CJ Johnsen about betting, sports, music and more. Johnsen, who is currently the vice president at CJ Thoroughbreds, is best known for guiding the remarkable transformation of Kentucky Downs from an afterthought on the racing calendar to a marquee stand with what equates to paradise for horseplayers: big fields and low takeout. Then, in the latest installment of his Breeders' Cup handicapping series, Bianca lays out plays for Saratoga's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and GII Flower Bowl S., two Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” challenge races to be contested Saturday. Click here to watch the show; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Parx-Based Trainer Pearce Hit With 1,950-Day Suspension

Trainer Penny Pearce has been issued a suspension of 1,950 days and fined $23,500 by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after six horses under her care tested positive for clenbuterol during out-of-competition tests.

The penalties were announced after her barn at Parx was inspected June 22. During the inspection, investigators also found hypodermic needles, syringes and injectable substances. The suspension is scheduled to run from Sept. 11, 2022 through Jan. 12, 2028.

The Paulick Report was first with the story and has also reported that Pearce has filed an appeal.

Pearce began training in 2012 and, prior to 2021, never won more than 16 races in a year. During the 2012-to-2020 period, her winning rate was 11%. That changed in 2021 when she went 32-for-137 (23%). Her success has continued this year as she has posted a record of 23-for-84 (27%).

In June of 2021, Pearce reportedly hired former trainer Ramon Preciado as a groom. In 2016, Preciado's owner and trainer licenses were revoked after a horse he trained named Purcell (Jump Start) tested positive for clenbuterol in a post-race test. In the ruling covering Purcell, the racing commission noted that Preciado had a record of “multiple medication violations.” Despite Preciado's record of violations, the racing commission decided to grant him a groom's license and he went to work for Pearce.

The Pearce-trained horses that tested positive for clenbuterol were Mischievous Jones (Smarty Jones), Musamaha (Jack Milton), Relativlea (Lea), Call Me GQ (Weigelia), Market Maven (Super Ninety Nine) and an unnamed horse. Had there been just one clenbuterol positive, Pearce would have received a suspension of just 30 days. Instead, the commission used an escalating scale, with the number of days she was suspended increasing with each subsequent positive. For the sixth positive, she was suspended for 960 days.

“In accordance with ARCI medication and penalty guidelines, based upon the number of medication positives, the board of stewards finds aggravating circumstances in these matters,” the ruling reads.

In June, Monmouth Park stewards suspended Pearce for 15 days and fined her $500 after a horse she trained tested positive for clenbuterol following a May 29 race at the Jersey Shore track.

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Pennsylvania’s Michael P. Ballezzi Passes Away

Michael P. Ballezzi, who retired last year after 25 years as executive director of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA), passed away Wednesday, Aug. 31.

“We've lost not only a great horseman, but also a great friend and leader,” said PTHA board of directors president Salvatore DeBunda. “Mike dedicated 25 years of his life to championing the well-being and care of equine athletes, as well as championing the interests of horsemen at Parx Racetrack and across Pennsylvania. When he retired, Mike left behind an incredible legacy at the PTHA.”

A graduate of Widener Law School, an attorney, and a District Justice in Pennsylvania, Ballezzi's contributions to Pennsylvania racing were extensive. He was instrumental in the passage of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, which legalized slot machines in the Commonwealth and set aside a percentage of the revenues for purses, breeding incentives, and health and pension benefits; advocated for Parx Racing backstretch improvements; and helped start Turning for Home, the non-profit track-based racehorse retirement program that has placed more than 3,200 horses. He also created The Granny Fund, which provides scholarships to Parx stable employees to continue their education in college and night classes.

Ballezzi had been a licensed Thoroughbred owner since 1973 and was also a former trainer. He served as a member of the national Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) board of directors and was recognized in 2020 for outstanding service to the racing industry. He was honored in 2019 by Parx with the naming of the M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile. Ballezzi was named 2008 PTHA Man of the Year and was inducted into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.

“Mike Ballezzi's impact on Pennsylvania racing, horsemen, and our retired race horses will live on for many years to come,” said Jeffrey Matty, executive director of the PTHA. “But his impact extends far beyond the policies and programs he championed. He touched so many people on and off the track on a personal level, and that may be his greatest legacy.”

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