According to Jeffrey McMurray of the Associated Press, Kentucky Derby- and Preakness-winning trainer Rick Dutrow was suspended for 30 days on Tuesday for violating doping rules.

Trainer Rick Dutrow. (Cindy Pierson Dulay)

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission issued the suspension Tuesday, more than a year after tests revealed that Salute the Count had an excessive amount of Clenbuterol in his blood after finishing second in a race at Churchill Downs the day before he won the Derby with Big Brown.

    Clenbuterol allows horses to breathe easier while exercising. It’s only legal
at low dosages. Besides imposing the 30-day suspension, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ordered Dutrow to return the purse money won by the horse. In a rare split vote, the commission voted 6-5 to suspend Dutrow for 30 days moments after voting 6-5 against approving the 15-day ban proposed by both the stewards at Churchill and an officer who heard Dutrow’s appeal.

     That officer had initially rejected the suspension altogether due to questions
about the drug testing that was used, but the racing commission later asked
him to take another look.

     Commission executive director Lisa Underwood explained the harsher penalty was due in part because they felt he was dragging out the process.

     “He flagrantly worked the system,” Underwood said. “I think a lot of what was going through the commissioners’ minds was to protect the integrity of racing. Frankly, it’s offensive for the betting public to see trainers still out there
who have a violation, who have admitted they have a violation.”

     Dutrow did not return a call by the Associated Press. His attorney, Frank
Becker represented him in the closed session and said afterward the case would
almost certainly be appealed to Franklin Circuit Court.

MORE TRAINER NEWS

   Mary Rampellini of the Daily Racing Form reports that a near eight-hour hearing was held before the Lone Star Park board of stewards on Tuesday at Grand Prairie, Texas, concerning a horse in trainer Steve Asmussen’s care who tested positive for lidocaine after winning a maiden race at the track May 10, 2008. A ruling in the matter could be issued by the end of the week.

     Texas has a zero-tolerance policy on lidocaine, a local anesthetic which as a Class 2 medication violation can, among other penalities, carry up to a six-month suspension.

    Tuesday, the stewards heard arguments from both Asmussen’s legal team and Mark Fenner, who represented the Texas Racing Commission. The proceedings, which also included testimonies from Asmussen and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, opened at 10:18 a.m. Central. It began with Asmussen’s legal team of Maggi Moss and Karen Murphy requesting quantitative data on the test sample, additional split sample test data, and additional testing of the blood sample from the horse in question, Timber Trick. The attorneys said they have sought such information for over a year, but have been denied by the Texas Racing Commission.

     Murphy called Steven Barker, a scientist with the Louisiana State University, to the witness stand and he answered general questions on testing procedures, and discussed research he has done into environmental contamination.

     After breaking to deliberate the request for additional science on the test sample, the stewards denied it, at around 1:30 p.m. Soon afterward, the actual hearing began, with Mott taking the stand as a character witness for Asmussen. Mott also discussed a past lidocaine positive he had for which he received a seven-day suspension and a $1,000 fine. He said he never determined the source of the positive.

     Asmussen testified that he did not administer lidocaine to Timber Trick. He also answered questions about raceday protocol in his stable.

LOCAL WATCH:

     In the sixth race at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, trainer Steve Specht saddles Cousin Bruno, named after one of his old friends that loved the races. Cousin Bruno is owned by Specht and will be ridden by Frank Alvarado in this $12,500 maiden claimer going five furlongs on the dirt.

LOCAL WATCH UPDATE:

     In the sixth race at Pleasanton, trainer/owner Steve Specht’s Cousin Bruno finished third and returned $3.40.