5-year-old Truckin Tommy, says HISA, tested positive for tapentadol after an Aug 8 race at Presque Isle. Tapentadol, in case you’re wondering, is an opioid painkiller. Trainer Michael Pappada has been provisionally suspended while awaiting final adjudication. Truckin, it should…
From the stewards at Kentucky Downs: Aug 31:“Motel Mischief was injured in the paddock.” “Lucky Lesson was injured in the paddock.” “Fireball Fun returned lame and required the assistance of the horse ambulance.” “Whisper Not bled and required the assistance…
Some recent rulings… In New Jersey, driver/trainer Jacob Cutting was “sanctioned” for the presence of oxycodone and oxymorphone in his horse Paloma Ruiz at Freehold last February. The sanction: 7-day suspension. 7 days. In Ohio, trainers Bill Rhoades and Herman…
The following rulings at Freehold Raceway have been published by the NJ Racing Commission. (Although most of the violations are older, hearings were only just held.) 5-year-old Betziesbookinit tested positive for oxymorphone and oxycodone [opioids] on Nov 12, 2021. Trainer:…
The stewards at Los Alamitos report that trainer (and owner in one case) Angela Aquino has been busted for doping not one but two of her horses with – caffeine. Not surprisingly, the horses in question, Debt Monger and Chay…
As previously reported, 3-year-old Miniconjou collapsed dead of “an apparent heart attack” immediately after the 11th race at Churchill June 11. Again, three years old. Now, we learn that in his penultimate race, May 6 at Oaklawn, Mini ran on…
Guanabenz is an antihypertensive drug – used to treat high blood pressure. In horseracing, it is a Class B, the second most serious kind. With that in mind, I give you the following recent rulings from the New Mexico Racing…
Donttemptthisnatural finished second in a race at Ruidoso Aug 13, “earning” $800 for his people in the process. Turns out, however, that the 3-year-old had three times the limit of lidocaine (yes, that again) in his system. For this, trainer/owner…
Although I am generally loath to villainize individual exploiters – choosing instead to indict the industry – I do occasionally make exceptions. Doug (aka “Drug”) O’Neill has a well-earned reputation as a cheater – with cheating, in horseracing, almost always…
2-year-old (remember that age) Snow Cloud Cartel finished 1st in a “Futurity Trial” at Will Rogers Sep 12. Two weeks later in the “Futurity” itself – a $180K Grade 2 race – he finished 4th, garnering almost $15K for his…
A ruling yesterday from the Delaware Racing Commission: “Owner/trainer Jaime Cruz is fined $1,000 for failing to protect a horse in his charge against the administration of prohibited drugs or medications. In testimony, Cruz’s exercise person admitted to giving Acepromazine…
A report/ruling from the Minnesota Racing Commission: “Elvin Zimmerman was the subject of a vehicle search on 8 Syringes with needles attached, and bottles labeled with non-prescription contents were found in Mr. Zimmerman’s possession. Mr. Zimmerman signed a statement verifying…
