Laurel bars Navarro from racing there

Trainer Jorge Navarro was going to enter several horses in the Grade 3, $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash on Saturday at Laurel Park but did not after officials from The Stronach Group, which owns the track, decided he would not be allowed to race there.

Navarro and owner Randal Gindi were fined $5,000 by the Monmouth Park board of stewards Sunday for “conduct detrimental to racing.” The fines are the maximum the stewards can levy. The stewards have referred the matter to the New Jersey Racing Commission, recommending that Gindi’s fine be increased to $20,000 and Navarro’s to $10,000.

Navarro and Gindi were filmed on a cell phone by an unidentified person seated at a bar in the Monmouth Park clubhouse Aug. 4, gloating after watching Navarro’s brother Marcial win a race at Gulfstream Park. The video was posted to the internet Aug. 11.

In the video, Gindi said, “The Juice Man, that’s the juice,” and Navarro said, “That’s the way we do it.” Gindi bragged of lining his pockets with winnings from bookies.

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Navarro said he and Gindi were strictly getting even with the person who filmed the video.

“My owner had a previous altercation with the person who filmed the video,” Navarro said. “We were just getting back at the guy. Of course, I regret what I said. That is not Navarro. But I’m tired of people calling me things. What I said, ‘Is that a Navarro? Is that a Navarro? Is that a Navarro at 2-1?,’ people say that to me all the time, right in front of my kids.”

Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra, after speaking with Tim Ritvo, the chief operating officer of the Stronach Group, said their organization currently has integrity concerns regarding Navarro.

"To The Stronach Group, integrity is our No. 1 priority," Sinatra said. "We are a little uncomfortable taking entries from Jorge Navarro right now because the issue in New Jersey is not entirely cleared up."

Dennis Drazin, the CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park, stood up for Navarro on Wednesday.

“When I saw the video, I went to Jorge and said, ‘This is not the type of conduct you want to be involved in,’ ” Drazin said. “Jorge owned up to what he did. When the stewards fined Jorge $5,000, he said he knew he was wrong and took responsibility for his actions. I am confident this will never happen again.

“Jorge Navarro is not ruled off at Monmouth Park. He’s welcome back next year.”

Laurel is the second track in two days to bar Navarro. On Tuesday, Indiana Grand stewards told Navarro he would be denied an Indiana racing license if he applied for one, forcing the scratch of Duchess of Duke from Wednesday’s $100,000 Merrillville Stakes.

“I’m going through a rough time, but it is what it is,” Navarro said.

Navarro holds a valid Maryland racing license and is not suspended. His entries for Saturday were going to be denied by Laurel management, not the stewards or the racing commission.

Navarro has won five straight Monmouth Park training titles and broke his own record for wins at the meet this year. Navarro has 754 career victories from 2,722 starts, and a 27 percent win rate.