By Dan Ross
Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)-related rulings from around the country.
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)'s “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.
Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 05/07/2025
Licensee: Javier Moran, trainer
Penalty: 30-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 8, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,500. Admission. The following are treated as one violation.
Explainer: Medication violation for an Intra Articular Injection Within Fourteen (14) days of a Post-Time on Get a Grip Marilyn on 1/29/24 and 3/22/24; and Kestenna on 2/23/24.
Date: 05/07/2025
Licensee: Javier Moran, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $3,000. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violations for an intra-articular injection within seven (7) days of a timed and reported workout on Kestenna on 1/23/24.
Date: 05/06/2025
Licensee: Ramon Aguayo, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 7, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Salagadoola, who finished second at Tampa Bay on 3/26/25.
Date: 05/06/2025
Licensee: Pablo Torres, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Holiday Fantasy, who finished third at Tampa Bay on 3/19/25.
Date: 05/05/2025
Licensee: Alejandro Colina, trainer
Penalty: 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 6, 2025; a fine of $5,000 ($4,500 fine will be waived if all purses are repaid). Final decision of internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: For a breach of Rule 3510(b), which is a “Refusal/failure to cooperate promptly and completely with HISA/HIWU under the ADMC Program Rules.” There are no other case details currently available on the HIWU website.
Date: 05/02/2025
Licensee: Leslielyn Hardesty, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled medication on That's My Cat during the race period, an event dated 2/28/25. According to the case resolution, That's My Cat was “observed with an ointment in both nostrils. A search of Ms. Hardesty's barn was conducted, and a nasal ointment was discovered, and Ms. Hardesty's admitted that the ointment was administered to the Covered Horse.”
Date: 05/01/2025
Licensee: Carlos Inirio, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 2, 2025; Disqualification of both Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Following cases treated as one violation. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Caffeine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Fool for the City, who won at Mahoning Valley on 1/25/25; and from Sufferin Succotash, who finished fourth at Mahoning Valley on 1/27/25.
Date: 05/01/2025
Licensee: Alfredo Marquez, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from My Kathryn Rose, who won at Santa Anita on 10/19/24.
Pending ADMC Violations
05/07/2025, Natalie Cowan, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Beauty Bolt on 4/3/25.
05/07/2025, Robert Thomas Paterno, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Nouveau Depart on 4/1/25.
05/06/2025, John Servis, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Strong Like Sara, who finished third in the Rainbow Miss Stakes at Oaklawn Park on 4/6/25.
05/05/2025, Raymond Valerio, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from King Adrock, who won at Turf Paradise on 4/8/25.
05/05/2025, Joseph Poole, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Pride and Attitude on 4/2/25.
05/05/2025, Ryan Kenney, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Spaghetti Tree, who finished second at Turf Paradise on 4/2/25.
05/02/2025, Sherry Janice Armstrong, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Barossa, who won at Sunland Park on 3/28/25.
05/01/2025, Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Legal Empress, who finished second at Oaklawn Park on 3/1/25.
Violations of Crop Rule
Oaklawn Park
Abel Cedillo – violation date May 3; $250 fine, one-day suspension
Santa Anita
Adrian Escobedo – violation date May 3; $300 fine, no other details currently available
Thistledown
Luis Alberto Batista – violation date May 3; $500 fine, two-day suspension
German Terraza – violation date May 5; $250 fine, one-day suspension
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