DQ of Motion-trained Kitten's Point from 2015 Bewitch Stakes made official

The disqualification of a horse trained by Graham Motion in the 2015 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland Racecourse became official this week when the state’s Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal of an aspect of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s handling of the case.

The decision by the court made a settlement negotiated two years ago between Motion and the KHRC finally official, resulting in a formal declaration of the horse’s disqualification on Wednesday. Motion had appealed an aspect of the case related to the absolute-insurer rule, which kept the settlement from going into force.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Kitten’s Point, the horse at the center of the case, was placed last in the Bewitch Stakes as a result of the decision. Cay Dancer, the second-place finisher, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Joel Rosario, was elevated to first. Motion’s fine of $500 will also now be enforced.

The official declaration resulted in an unusual twist when Kitten’s Point’s rider in the Bewitch, Edgar Prado, seemingly tied Angel Cordero Jr. for eighth-place in wins on Wednesday while riding at Gulfstream Park in Florida. The official chart for the Bewitch was then amended, removing one of his wins, but Prado had a winner on Thursday’s card at Gulfstream to regain the tie.

Kitten’s Point tested positive for a trace amount of a regulated medication, methocarbamol, following the Bewitch win. Motion’s attorneys appealed the positive on the grounds that the threshold level set for the medication was not based on science. A lower-court ruled in favor of Motion, in a decision that threatened the validity of the absolute-insurer rule, but the Kentucky Court of appeals reversed that decision.

Motion’s attorney had asked the Supreme Court to review the case, but the court declined, resulting in the official declaration on Wednesday.