Page 71 - 12 October 2012

New Mexico Suspends, Fines Four Trainers
On Sept. 22, the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) began a series of hear- ings related to positive drug tests from the May 25 Ruidoso Futurity trials. Trainer John Bassett was the first up, and was suspended for 10 years and fined $10,000 for two positive tests for the Class 1 drug dermorphin, also know as frog juice.
Trainer Jeffrey Heath Reed, who had four dermorphin positives, was given a 21-year sus- pension and fined $23,000. A fifth positive test was dismissed due to an unclear reading of the sample label. Reed’s suspension also includes
a one-year ban because two of the horses also tested positive for an anabolic steroid.
Trainer Carlos Sedillo, who had two der- morphin positives, was given a 10-year suspen- sion and fined $10,000.
A hearing was also conducted for Carl Draper, who has been suspended for 300 days and fined $6,000 for positive tests of the Class 3 drug ractopamine. Four horses trained by Draper tested positive for ractopamine in the trials for the Ruidoso Futurity and Derby.
Louisiana Deals With Dermorphine Positives
Fans at Fort Erie Racetrack Walked the Course in support of the Canadian Cancer Society as well as made donations to COPE
Fort Erie Holds Successful Fundraiser
Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on Sept. 23 opened their racing surface to hundreds of fans, horsemen, com- munity leaders and citizens of the area to walk the one-mile oval for the Circle the Course for Cancer and Community Program Outreach Erie (COPE) fundraiser. Participants raised $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, and donated enough food to fill a large two-horse trailer for the COPE food bank. Donations will be accepted through the end of the live rac- ing season on Oct. 30 for both organizations.
Florida QHRA Annual Membership Meeting Set
The Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association annual membership meeting is scheduled for Nov. 10 at AVS Equine Hospital in Tallahassee, Florida. All memberships expired June 30, 2012, therefore members are encouraged to update their membership before the meeting as only current members will have voting privileges. Items to be discussed at the meeting include updates on the upcoming Hialeah meet and legislative plans for 2013. Call (850) 345-4777 or visit www.fqhra.com for more information.
Johnny Trotter Donates Winnings To Ruidoso Race Track Chaplaincy
funded only through private donations. Chaplain Darrell Winter stated, “Here
in our ministry at Ruidoso, we continue to look for relevant ways to help meet the needs of horsemen.” He continued, “We really appreciate everything Johnny has done for us. In the 12 years I’ve been here, he’s been the Chaplaincy’s biggest benefactor, and we can’t thank him enough.”
2012 Equine Survey Available
Results of the 2012 American Horse Publicaitons Equine Industry Survey sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, Merck Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health are available online by visiting www.americanhorsepubs.org. The survey, which had 10,539 usable responses, covered demographics, horse ownership, horse- keeping costs, issues facing the equine industry, horse nutrition, and horse health care. A main objective of the survey was to understand how horse owners and managers view the challenges facing the equine industry. The top three chal- lenges respondents mentioned were problems of unwanted horses (56%), cost of horse-keeping (47.1%) and overbreeding (37.3%).
Good Reason SA
Champion Good Reason SA Dies
2011 AQHA Champion Aged Horse, Champion Aged Stallion Good Reason SA (Favorite Trick TB-Queen Of Appeals, First Down Dash) passed away unexpectedly Sept. 27 while standing in Brazil. Owned and bred by Gianni Franco Samaja of Brazil, the 5-year- old brown stallion stood his first year at stud to a full book of mares in 2012 at Royal Vista Ranches in Wayne, Oklahoma, before mov- ing to Brazil for their breeding season. Good Reason SA earned $1,446,727 winning seven
The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) suspended eight trainers after their horses tested positive for the Class 1 drug der- morphin. Trainer Alvin Smith Jr. received the toughest penalty—a 10-year suspension and a $20,000 fine—as the dermorphine positive was the third Class 1 violation of his career; John Darrell Soileau was suspended for 10 years and fined $20,000 for two dermorphin positives; and Alonza Loya and Michael Heath Taylor were both given five-year suspensions and $10,000 fines for one positive each. Trainers Kyi Lormand, Anthony Agilar, Lamont Keith Charles all cooperated with authorities and received lighter sentences of three-year-suspen- sions and $2,500 fines, with Agilar’s penalties doubled for two positive tests but running concurrently, so his total suspension is three years. Gonzalo Gonzalez, who admitted to being a program trainer, was also suspended three years and fined $2,500. Investigations ongoing into the veterinarians involved with the positive dermorphine cases.
Utah QHRA Holds Fall Mixed Sale
The Utah Quarter Horse Association Fall Yearling and Broodmare Mixed Sale was held Sept. 23 at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center in South Jordan, Utah. The sale topper at $4,500 was the yearling colt Dash For Kiss (Dashair-Kissifer, Barnstormer) consigned by Eric Peterson and purchased by Andy and Mary Atkinson. Twenty-nine horses sold for $62,750.
AQHA Second Vice President Johnny Trotter, owner of
Hez Our Secret
(First Down Dash- Secret Separation, Separatist), donated half of the colt’s net winnings from his second-place finish
in the 2012 All American Derby-G1
for are
Johnny Trotter
to Ruidoso Downs’ Racetrack Chaplaincy program. The Ruidoso Downs Chaplaincy is
SPEEDHORSE, October 12, 2012 69
news briefs
Andy Golden: Speedhorse
Los Alamitos
Michael Burns Photography