Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Jan. 31-Feb. 6

[Wandering Eyes]

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

California

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 02/03/2023

Licensee: Eoin Harty

Penalty: $3,000 fine

Violation: Out-of-competition joint injection violation

Explainer: Trainer Eoin Harty, who trains the horse El Joy, is fined $3,000.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1866.3(c)(e) (Intra-articular Injections Restricted – treatment within 10 days of workout).

Harty told the TDN he will be appealing the ruling for various reasons, including for a career training record absent any prior medication violations (this is confirmed in the Thoroughbred Rulings website).

New York

Track: Aqueduct

Date: 02/02/2023

Licensee: Suzanne Zelman, racing official/official veterinarian

Penalty: $1,000 fine

Violation: Lasix administration violation

Explainer: You are hereby fined the sum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars for failing to tend to business in a proper manner necessitating the scratch of horse “Bustinupishardtodo” (# 8) from the eighth race at Aqueduct Racetrack on January 27th 2023.

According to New York Racing Association (NYRA) spokesperson Pat McKenna, the fine was for a failure to administer Lasix to the horse in question resulting in a mandatory scratch.

Kentucky

Track: Turfway Park

Date: 02/01/2023

Licensee: Eric Reed, trainer

Penalty: Five-day suspension, $1,000 fine

Violation: Medication violation

Explainer: Upon receipt of notification from The University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, the official testing laboratory for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, sample number R005087 taken from Golden Text, who finished first in the fourth race at Turfway Park on January 19, 2023 contained phenylbutazone at a level of 0.62 mcg/ml in blood (Class C) (2nd offense in 365 days). After waiving his right to a formal hearing before the Board of Stewards, Eric Reed is hereby suspended 5 days, February 10, 2023 through February 14, 2023 (inclusive) and fined $1,000.

Read more about the story here.

NEW HISA STEWARDS RULINGS

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal, except for the voided claim rulings which were sent to the TDN directly. Some of these rulings are from prior weeks as they were not reported contemporaneously.

One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

Violations of Crop Rule

Aqueduct

∙              Gokhan Kocakaya – violation date January 29; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 8 strikes

Gulfstream Park

∙              Edgar Perez – violation date January 29; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

Mahoning Valley Racecourse

∙              Juan Gabriel Lagunes – violation date January 31; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 9 strikes

Oaklawn Park

• Kelsi Harr – violation date January 29; $250 fine, striking mount on the flank during the fifth race on January 29, 2023.
• Calvin Borel – violation date January 29; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes
• Ramsey Zimmerman – violation date January 29; $250 fine, three strikes in succession
• Gabriel Saez – violation date February 3; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes, on appeal and stay granted
• Kelsi Harr – violation date February 4; $250 fine, striking mount on the flank during the second race on February 4, 2023.
• Eduardo Gallardo – violation date February 4; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 9 strikes
• Florent Geroux – violation date February 4; $250 fine, raising wrist above helmet when using crop

Penn National

• Yomar Ortiz – violation date February 1; $500 fine and three-day suspension, misuse of the crop

Santa Anita

• Mario Gutierrez – violation date January 28; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes

Tampa Bay Downs

• Jose Luis Alonso – violation date February 1; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 8 strikes
• Carlos Eduardo Rojas – violation date February 3; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes, on appeal and stay granted
• Carlos Eduardo Rojas – violation date February 4; 15-day suspension, “Jockey Carlos E. Rojas (P 000-026-197) has accumulated a total of 26 points for violation of HISA Rule 2280 (bl, (1). Nine of the points are under appeal and a stay has been granted, so the total points are reduced to 17 points.”

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