Handal provisionally suspended by Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit
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ELMONT, N.Y. - New York-based trainer Ray Handal has been issued a provisional suspension by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit for the presence of a banned substance found in one of his horses who raced at Belmont Park on May 28.
The suspension, which under HIWU rules for banned substances could be for two years and carries up to a $25,000 fine.
Handal told Daily Racing Form that he did not do anything wrong and that he has requested a hearing with HIWU and expects to have one in the coming week.
The ruling, posted on the HIWU website Saturday morning, indicates the horse Barrage, who finished second in a New York-bred allowance race on May 28, tested positive for Zeranol, a banned substance, or at least a metabolite or marker of the drug.
On websites, Zeranol is described as a steroid that is used as a growth promoter in livestock.
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Handal told Daily Racing Form on Saturday that he’s never heard of Zeranol and that in his research of it he’s found it’s a common contaminant.
“We have a pretty strong defense, we have a lot of science behind what was found,” said Handal, who is represented by attorney Clark Brewster. “It’s common in grain and corn and can get mixed in with the feed.”
Handal said he was served notice by HIWU officials at his Belmont Park barn on Friday. The barn was searched and Handal said no illegal drugs were found.
Blood was drawn from all of the horses in Handal’s barn and horses he had entered on Friday and Saturday at Belmont Park were ordered scratched. He was permitted to run a horse at Monmouth Park on Friday and that horse, Mispelled Mooon, won a claiming race.
Handal said he was required to scratch Promiseher America out of Saturday’s Delaware Oaks.
The New York Racing Association, in a statement, said it will no longer take entries from Handal, who has 44 stalls at Belmont. He was granted 27 stalls at Saratoga for that meet which begins on July 13.
Handal confirmed he has transferred horses to Holly Ferris, who had one horse in training on the grounds and was a former employee of Handal.
“NYRA has been alerted via HIWU that a horse under the care of trainer Ray Handal has tested positive for the banned substance Zeranol,” Pat McKenna, NYRA vice president of communications said. “According to HISA rules, Handal is now under a provisional suspension nationally and cannot participate at NYRA tracks effective today.”
Handal, 34, who began training in 2014, has not been cited for any previous medication violations. He was fined three times by the New York State Gaming Commission, for failure to tend to business in a proper manner that resulted in the late scratches of a few of his runners.
Handal was in the midst of his best years since he began training horses in 2014. Handal has won 28 races from 130 starters and his horses have earned $1,559,578. He won his first graded stakes when Promiseher America upset the Grade 3 Gazelle at 26-1. She finished last in the Kentucky Oaks.
Handal also won stakes with New York-breds Funny How and Timeless Journey.
In 2022, Handal enjoyed his best season with 33 wins from 240 starters and his horses earned $2.59 million.
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