The California Horse Racing Board formally filed a regulatory complaint on June 21 against coach Richard Baltas, a month and a half after track operator 1/ST Racing began banning him from racing or riding horse at Santa Anita . Park and other 1 / ST Racing tracks pending investigation. Over the past month and a half, many of the horses from his California stables have been dispersed to other trainers.
A complaint differs from a manager’s judgment in that it is an alleged violation that has not yet been heard.
In the complaint, the council said between April 15 and May 8, 23 of Baltas’ horses were captured on surveillance video administered by Baltas members Higenamine and Paeonol. He is scheduled to appear before the board on July 1 at Los Alamitos. According to the United States Anti-doping authority, Higenamine is a stimulant classified as a beta-2 agonist, which means it’s always banned – in and out of competition. Paeonol, according to the National Library of Medicine, has been used for decades as an anti-inflammatory agent for people.
1/ The ST Racing action follows the late scratch of the horse trained at Baltas, Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran Noble reflection from the 10th race on May 8 at Santa Anita for what is classified in the minutes of management as “manager’s “scratch” — not a wound specified as “also qualified”, “sick vet” or “injured vet”.
Unlike sanctions issued by regulators, which are respected for reciprocity, private party suspensions rarely extend beyond the operator that issued the order.
Coach Richard Baltas
Last month, shortly after action 1/ST Racing, CHRB chief executive Scott Chaney admitted that Santa Anita had shared video footage with managers “regarding (the circumstances of the scratch) and some scenes other additions out there.”
California has some of the strictest pre-race treatment rules of any jurisdiction, limiting drug treatment to 24 hours for Lasix. Within that time frame, the CHRB regulations state that “only water may be used to rinse the horse’s mouth on race day” and that “drugs, pharmaceuticals or any other substance may not be used”.
Regulators and courts consider trainers the absolute underwriters of their horses, which means they can be sanctioned for the actions of employees or other parties.
Because the action was taken by a track operator and not a governing body, Baltas was still able to race to a limited extent elsewhere over the past month and a half. He has run seven horses since the incident, with six of them racing in Churchill Downswhere he maintains a small division of horses, and the other in Lone Star Park with a shipper for a wager race.
Chaney previously said the CHRB did not have the authority to temporarily suspend a licensee before a final ruling, after a case involving a short-suspended jockey was overturned. in California Superior Court.
He said investigations, in general, can take time to ensure accuracy so interviews, checks, and requests for 10 days notice can be made when a complaint is filed in advance. hearing.
