Belmont Park Managers on June 17 suspended owner trainer Jeffrey Englehart for 10 days and fined him $1,000 after Exploitation violated the drug Phenylbutazone while competing in the fourth race on April 8 at Aqueduct race track.
Robert Photos’ Profusion was fifth among the top six favorites in the $14,000 claim and has now been disqualified. He was set to earn $1,120 for his fifth place. The horse then won the $5,000 race on June 8 at Finger Lake.
Englehart waives its right to appeal, according to the ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission’s website. The ruling indicates that he will serve a suspended sentence from June 22 to July 1.
As co-owner and coach, Englehart has a current entry at the Finger Lakes on the first day of a scheduled suspension during Wednesday’s eighth race with Appointment .
Phenylbutazone, commonly known as Bute, is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in horses. The International Association of Racing Commissioners’ Uniform Classification Guidelines for Exotic Substances and the Proposed Penalty Model Rule list Phenylbutazone as a Category 4, Penalty C drug. Class 1 drug ,2 and 3 are considered to have a greater impact on performance.
Engelhardt was previously suspended and fined in March 2021 for another positive for phenylbutazone at Aqueduct in January of that year.
A coach since 2013, Engelhardt has won 38 of 168 races this year as of June 17 while running mostly in the northeast.
