Fewest major drug violations in four decades last year

CYPRESS, Calif. – California horse racing had its lowest number of major drug violations in the last 40 years for the fiscal year ending June 30, according to a statement released Thursday by the California Horse Racing Board.

During that time, there were four violations for medications in classes 1, 2, or 3 compared with 28 in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. Violations for medications in those classes result in an automatic forfeiture of a purse and frequently a fine or suspension for the trainers whose horses test positive.

During the recent fiscal year, there were 11,900 samples tested at the University of California–Davis from all racetracks throughout the state. According to the racing board, a search of agency records revealed that the four positives were the lowest number of infractions for a fiscal year since 1974.

In fiscal year 2013-14, 16 of the 28 positives were for the bronchodilator clenbuterol, which has been a major concern in Quarter Horse racing at Los Alamitos. The medication has been banned for use in any capacity at Los Alamitos since early 2014 after a rash of positives in the preceding years.

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** Jockeys Cheryl Charlton and Efrain Hernandez were fined $200 by Los Alamitos stewards Thursday for whip infractions the previous weekend.

On July 1, the California Horse Racing Board enacted tougher whip rules, stating that riders could strike a horse only three times in succession before pausing to allow the horse to respond. In the first four days of racing after the rule went into effect, six riders were fined for seven infractions.

Charlton, the leading Thoroughbred rider at the Los Alamitos evening meeting, was cited for her ride on seventh-place finisher Tempetuous in the second race on the afternoon program July 4. Hernandez was fined for his ride on Time Toget Ahead, the winner of the sixth race July 5.