Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Race Horse Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. Suspended
Posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)–Kentucky Derby and Preakness-winning race horse trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. was suspended for 30 days on Tuesday for violating doping rules.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission issued the suspension Tuesday, more than a year after tests revealed that Salute the Count had an excessive amount of Clenbuterol in his blood after finishing second in a race at Churchill Downs the day before he won the Kentucky Derby with Big Brown.
Clenbuterol allows horses to breathe easier while exercising. It’s only legal at low dosages.
In addition to the 30-day suspension, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ordered Rick Dutrow to return the purse money won by the race horse Salute the Count. In a rare split vote, the commission voted 6-5 to suspend Dutrow for 30 days moments after voting 6-5 against approving the 15-day ban proposed by both the stewards at Churchill and an officer who heard Dutrow’s appeal.
That officer had initially rejected the suspension altogether due to questions about the drug testing that was used, but the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission later asked him to take another look.
Kentucky Horse Racing Commission executive director Lisa Underwood explained the harsher penalty was due in part because they felt he was dragging out the process.
“He flagrantly worked the system,” Underwood said. “I think a lot of what was going through the commissioners’ minds was to protect the integrity of racing. Frankly, it’s offensive for the betting public to see trainers still out there who have a violation, who have admitted they have a violation.”
Dutrow’s attorney, Frank Becker represented him in the closed session and said afterward the case would almost certainly be appealed to Franklin Circuit Court.
Dutrow has 10 days to file the appeal. If suspended by one state, he wouldn’t be allowed to train horses in any others during that period.
“They didn’t reveal it to us,” Becker said puzzled as to why the commissioners increased the penalty.
Big Brown never violated a drug rule, but Dutrow was widely criticized when he acknowledged the horse had the then-legal steroid stanozolol in his bloodstream during his 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories. Kentucky and most other states have since banned stanozolol and other anabolic steroids.
Tags: Salute the Count
"Race Horse Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. Suspended" was posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 10:57 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Previous Horse Racing News Entry:
Breeders’ Cup Challenge Entries: Smile Sprint & Princess Rooney Handicaps at Calder Race Course July 11
Next Horse Racing News Entry:
Breeders’ Cup Challenge Entries: Arlington Sprint Handicap at Arlington Park