🚫💊 Da Kine Derby Favorite Kine Kea No Dope Da Horsey
Forte, da numba one pick fo da Kentucky Derby, wen pull out cuz of one injury. He wen fail one drug test back in September last year. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, wen get one 10-day suspension and one fine of $1,000. 😔🏇💊
New York peeps wen suspend da Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher fo 10 days on Thursday, fine him $1,000, and wen say his horse Forte – da favorite fo last week’s Kentucky Derby till he wen get scratched cuz of one injury – no can be da winnah of one race last September in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 🏆🏇🚫
Da horse wen test positive fo meloxicam, one strong kine anti-inflammatory drug used fo ease da pain and swelling, according to da New York State Gaming Commission. Da drug, mostly prescribed fo treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, no can be used in da US fo da treatment of racehorses in training. 💊🐴😷
Da positive test and suspension wen shine one bad kine light on one sport dat already get plenty problems aftah seven horses, including two in da Kentucky Derby, wen die at Churchill Downs in da week leading up to da Derby. 💔🏇⚰️
In da eight months since Forte’s failed test, he wen win his next four races, including da Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November and da Florida Derby last month. Both races are considered important tests for potential Triple Crown horses. Forte was named horse racing’s 2-year-old male champion, a title dat wen raise his value as a potential stallion for his co-owners Mike Repole and Vincent Viola. 🏇🥇💰
Da disqualification of Forte in last September’s Hopeful Stakes means dey no goin get da $165,000 first-place check. 💸🚫🏁
On Saturday, Forte was da 3-1 morning-line favorite to win da Derby till he wen get scratched just hours before da race when Kentucky state veterinarians declared him unfit fo competition cuz of one bruise to his right front hoof. 🐴🚑😭
No word from Pletcher or his lawyer, Karen Murphy. Repole no like comment. Viola’s rep no wen return any calls or text messages. 📞🔇
State regulators said dey no could resolve da doping issue earlier cuz Pletcher wen use his right to have one more sample tested, but had trouble finding one approved lab to take da sample. When da positive result was confirmed, Murphy wen try to postpone da hearing about da violation, according to da regulators. ⏳🔬
Doping and horse deaths long time been one problem fo racing but now dey taking center stage at one of da few times each year dat da public is watching da sport: da Triple Crown season, starting with da Derby and followed by da Preakness Stakes and da Belmont Stakes. Da explosion of online sports betting and less interest in horse racing also big kine problems fo da industry. 🏇💉💰📉
Da Breeders’ Cup requires participants to let them know about any previous drug violations when entering its championships. A spokeswoman said Pletcher nor da horse’s owners wen tell organizers about da failed drug test from da Hopeful two months before Forte ran in da Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. She said Forte passed all of da pre-race regulatory, veterinary and drug testing requirements to race in Kentucky , wea dey wen host last year’s Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland. 🏇🏁🏆
“Situations like dis one stay y da sport no can stand mo’ delay fo’ implement H.I.S.A.’s enforcement policies,” said Drew Fleming, da big boss of da Breeders’ Cup, talking about da Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. 👮♂️🏇💼
Da authority, ova seen by da Federal Trade Commission, was created fo’ make hard kine drug rules and fo’ give punishments fo’ violations. Dey also goin’ try make da process fo’ deciding tings mo’ streamlined, cuz now each state get different kine rules, and sometimes take months or even years fo’ finish. Da authority goin’ take ova on May 22. 🗓️⚖️💊
Unda da authority’s rules fo’ dealing wit’ drug violations, da public goin’ know within weeks da name of da horse and da trainer involved, as well as da drug detected. Within four months, dey goin’ decide if was true, and if need be, issue one punishment. 🏇🕵️♂️🔍
Pletcher been named champion trainer seven times and won two Kentucky Derbys and two Belmont Stakes. He had one medication violation in 2004 in New York fo’ da drug mepivacaine, a local anesthetic. He served a 45-day suspension and was fined $3,000, according to thoroughbredrulings.com, one website maintained by the Jockey Club, one industry organization. 🏅🏇🚫
Look like Pletcher get at least one more drug violation still hanging. 😔💊
Louis C. Linder Jr., one Pennsylvania trainer, said in one interview on Thursday dat he couldn’t collect his $38,000 in prize money fo’ coming second to Pletcher’s horse Mind Control at Parx Racing on Sept. 24, 2022. Linder said Jeff Matty, da big kahuna of da Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, told him da money being held up while waiting fo’ a decision on da failed test. 💸⏳🐎
Matty no wen respond to phone calls. 📞🔇
“I wen have medication violations and dey stink,” Linder said. “But you take responsibility and move on. It gotta be handled in one reasonable amount of time. Da money matters to small kine outfits like mine.” 🙏💰💔
NOW IN ENGLISH
🚫💊 Trainer of Derby Favorite Penalized in Doping Case
Forte, the top pick for the Kentucky Derby, was withdrawn due to an injury. He failed a drug test in September last year. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, was given a 10-day suspension and a fine of $1,000. 😔🏇💊
Regulators in New York suspended Todd Pletcher, a Hall of Fame trainer, for 10 days on Thursday, fined him $1,000, and disqualified his horse Forte – the favorite for last week’s Kentucky Derby until he was withdrawn due to an injury – from a race last September in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 🏆🏇🚫
The horse tested positive for meloxicam, a powerful anti-inflammatory drug used to alleviate pain and swelling, according to the New York State Gaming Commission. The drug, mostly prescribed to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, is not allowed for the treatment of racehorses in training in the US. 💊🐴😷
The positive test and suspension cast a negative light on a sport that already had several issues after seven horses, including two in the Kentucky Derby, died at Churchill Downs in the week leading up to the Derby. 💔🏇⚰️
In the eight months since Forte’s failed test, he won his next four races, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November and the Florida Derby last month. Both races are considered important tests for potential Triple Crown horses. Forte was named the 2-year-old male champion of horse racing, a title that increased his value as a potential stallion for his co-owners Mike Repole and Vincent Viola. 🏇🥇💰
Forte’s disqualification in last September’s Hopeful Stakes means they won’t receive the $165,000 first-place check. 💸🚫🏁
On Saturday, Forte was the 3-1 morning-line favorite to win the Derby until he was withdrawn just hours before the race when Kentucky state veterinarians declared him unfit for competition due to a bruise on his right front hoof. 🐴🚑😭
Neither Pletcher nor his lawyer, Karen Murphy, responded. Repole declined to comment. There was no response from Viola’s representative to any calls or text messages. 📞🔇
State regulators stated they could not resolve the doping issue earlier because Pletcher exercised his right to have another sample tested, but had trouble finding an approved lab to accept the sample. When the positive result was confirmed, Murphy attempted to postpone the hearing about the violation, according to the regulators. ⏳🔬
Doping and horse deaths have been long-standing issues in racing but are now taking center stage during the few times each year when the public is focused on the sport: the Triple Crown season, starting with the Derby and followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. The explosion of online sports betting and declining interest in horse racing are also major challenges for the industry. 🏇💉💰📉
The Breeders’ Cup requires participants to disclose any previous drug violations when entering its championships. A spokeswoman said neither Pletcher nor the horse’s owners informed organizers about the failed drug test from the Hopeful two months before Forte ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. She said Forte passed all of the pre-race regulatory, veterinary and drug testing requirements to race in Kentucky, where they hosted last year’s Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland. 🏇🏁🏆
Situations like this are why the sport can no longer afford to delay the implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s enforcement policies,” said Drew Fleming, the head of the Breeders’ Cup, referring to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. 👮♂️🏇💼
The authority, overseen by the Federal Trade Commission, was created to establish strict drug rules and to administer penalties for violations. They also aim to streamline the decision-making process, as each state currently has different rules, and it can take months or even years to resolve cases. The authority will take over on May 22. 🗓️⚖️💊
Under the authority’s rules for handling drug violations, the public will be informed within weeks of the horse and trainer involved, as well as the drug detected. Within four months, a decision will be made on the veracity of the claim, and if necessary, a punishment will be issued. 🏇🕵️♂️🔍
Pletcher, a seven-time champion trainer, has won two Kentucky Derbys and two Belmont Stakes. He had a medication violation in 2004 in New York for the drug mepivacaine, a local anesthetic. He served a 45-day suspension and was fined $3,000, according to thoroughbredrulings.com, a website maintained by the Jockey Club, an industry organization. 🏅🏇🚫
It appears Pletcher has at least one more unresolved drug violation. 😔💊
Louis C. Linder Jr., a Pennsylvania trainer, said in an interview on Thursday that he hadn’t been able to collect his $38,000 in prize money for coming second to Pletcher’s horse Mind Control at Parx Racing on Sept. 24, 2022. Linder said Jeff Matty, the head of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, told him the money was being held up while waiting for a decision on the failed test. 💸⏳🐎
Matty did not respond to phone calls. 📞🔇
“I’ve had medication violations and they’re horrible,” Linder said. “But you take responsibility and move on. It has to be handled in a reasonable amount of time. The money is important to small operations like mine.” 🙏💰💔
