Parx Racing bans leading trainer Guerrero for 10 years

Juan Carlos Guerrero, the leading trainer at the current Parx Racing meet, has been banned by the track for 10 years after being charged with a misdemeanor count of indecent assault without consent stemming from an incident last month involving a female employee of the Bensalem, Pa., track.

The Philadelphia Daily News reported Thursday that Guerrero, 41, will seek a court injunction to continue operating his stable while filing an appeal that would result in a hearing before the Pennsylvania State Racing Commission.

Guerrero’s attorney, William Goldman Jr., told the Daily News in part: “He is being ejected based on the allegation . . . What they did was they decided to preemptively act and eject him from the track based upon that allegation. The matter will await a hearing in Harrisburg” before the commission.

Phone calls requesting further information from the Bensalem Township Police Department went unreturned Thursday. There was no answer at the Parx racing office on Thursday. Parx was closed for entries and live racing Thursday. The next day of live racing is Saturday, when Guerrero has horses entered in two races.

Published reports said the alleged incident occurred Nov. 16 at the track. According to the Daily News, Goldman said the alleged victim told police that Guerrero “hugged and kissed her and patted her on the rump” and that Guerrero will wait for a legal platform for his version of the story to be revealed.

Through Wednesday, Guerrero had won with 131 of 382 starters at Parx for stable earnings of more than $3 million. Overall, he has 145 wins this year, 13th highest in North America. His best horse this year was Golden Mystery, seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last month at Churchill Downs.

Guerrero, a native of Mexico City, lives in Williamstown, N.J., and has a wife and two daughters, according to the latest biographical information through the Breeders’ Cup.