Del Mar stewards void claim

DEL MAR, Calif. - The $12,500 claim of Lordgivemealift from Saturday’s 10th race was voided by Del Mar stewards on Sunday because trainer Jeff Metz submitted three claims in the race, on his behalf or as agent for another trainer.

Trainers in California are permitted to submit a maximum of two claims in a race. Metz submitted two claims for Plasma Bean, who finished fourth, and one claim for runner-up Lordgivemalift, as agent on behalf of trainer Drew Fulmer. He was successful with both claims, but the stewards voided the claim of Lordgivemalift after a hearing on Sunday because it was not submitted in Metz’s name, according to steward Scott Chaney.

Metz said on Sunday that he wanted to acquire two horses from the race, but feared that he would miss out because of the high number of claims being submitted in recent weeks.

“Because the claim box has been so active, it’s hard to get horses because you’re outnumbered,” Metz said. “They rescinded it because you can only submit two.”

Lordgivemealift was retained by Tommy Hutton’s Dream Stable and trainer Mike Mitchell. The 5-year-old gelding is on the also-eligible list for an $8,000 claimer over 5 1/2 furlongs in Thursday’s fourth race.

In an unrelated ruling issued on Saturday, Metz was fined $500 by track stewards after Veillit’, who won an $8,000 claimer at Hollywood Park on June 17, tested positive for the muscle relaxant methocarbamol.

◗ Jockey Christian Santiago Reyes has been suspended three days for causing interference in the sixth race last Friday. Reyes was cited for his ride on third-place finisher Shediak, who drifted to the outside near the three-eighths pole of a one-mile allowance race on turf. The incident affected Teafatiller and Sanmartino, who finished in the last two positions in the field of 10. There was no disqualification in the race.