Horse DQ'd from five races

The horse Bonus Size was disqualified from five races in November and December at Aqueduct after it was learned that he was ineligible for races in which he was running.

The owners, Paraneck Stable, had to return $24,745 in purse money earned in those races by Bonus Size, who won a claiming race on at Aqueduct on Dec. 14. That race was for nonwinners of two races lifetime, but Bonus Size was actually eligible for nonwinners of three.

The disqualifications stem from a clerical error that occurred either at the Aqueduct racing office or Equibase. On May 2, 2007, Bonus Size finished second to Joaquin Memphis in a New York-bred first-level allowance race at Belmont Park. Joaquin Memphis, trained by Rick Violette, was disqualified for a banned substance, and Bonus Size was elevated from second to first.

That disqualification became official on Sept. 10, after the results of a split sample on Joaquin Memphis confirmed the presence of Flunixin, an anti-inflammatory, in the gelding's system. For some reason, the disqualification was never recorded in the past performances of either Joaquin Memphis or Bonus Size.

The problem came to light only when Joaquin Memphis was entered for a New York-bred first-level allowance race at Aqueduct for Saturday but was put in a second-level allowance race on the same card. Violette notified the racing office that Joaquin Memphis was eligible for a first-level allowance race. Joaquin Memphis was scratched by Violette.