Amidst Recent Medical Setbacks, West Virginia’s Horse Racing Community Confronts a Disheartening Outcome

Equestrian racing has witnessed this year many mishaps during the race and off the racetrack. The authorities have also become more vigilant and are swift in their findings and imposing penalties. Last month Milton Pineda was handed twelve years suspension for using banned substances in his horses. The decision was made by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit.

This unit is an enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to operate and enforce the authority’s anti-doping and medication control program. In this week’s case resolutions published by the HIWU, the West Virginia horse racing community came to know a disheartening outcome.

Equestrian authority reveals disheartening reality

According to Paulick Report, nine cases were published by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit on its website. Among those cases, three were of horses whose positive results related to banned substances were not received and were pending. Therefore, they were placed in the ‘provisionally suspended from racing’ category. However, during the review of these cases, it was found that these horses were running on the tracks of West Virginia. West Virginia along with Texas and Louisiana tracks do not come under the rules of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

Of those three horses, two horses were formerly trained by Joseph Taylor. Classy American and Cajun Cousin were provisionally suspended for testing positive for the banned substance methylphenidate and clenbuterol last June. But, they raced on West Virginia tracks under another trainer Anthony Farrior. The last one, In The Midst, was trained by Don Buckner. It was suspended for testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol. The horse also raced at the West Virginia track under the same trainer’s name. In the published cases, there was a case of a trainer that caught attention. The trainer’s suspension by the HIWU  was overturned by the arbitrator.

Equestrian trainer’s suspension revoked

The 76-year-old equestrian trainer, Dennis VanMeter, was suspended for two years and fined $25,000 for his horse Templement was tested positive for the banned substance isoxsuprine. After hearing both the parties the arbitrator came to the conclusion that the trainer was not at fault and also was not negligent in preventing the banned substance from entering his horse’s system.

Read More: After 22-Month Suspension of an Equestrian Trainer Worth $556,377, Two More Trainers Face a Slap on the Wrist for Banned Substances

The latest publication by the authority showed a grim reality to the equestrian community that a provisionally banned horse raced outside its jurisdiction. At the same time, the trainer’s case drew curiosity.

Watch The Story: Equestrian Trainer Fined $15,000 in High-Stakes Horse Racing Case