Legal Authority disqualified from race after failed drug test

ARCADIA, Calif. – Part of the purse of a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on May 8 has been redistributed after second-place finisher Legal Authority tested positive for the banned tranquilizer acepromazine, according to a ruling issued by Santa Anita stewards on Friday.

Legal Authority was second at 14-1 in a $56,000 race on turf, earning $11,200, which has been ordered forfeited by owners BG Stables and Hector Palma. Palma is a co-owner and the trainer of Legal Authority.

The post-race urine sample tested at UC-Davis revealed the positive, according to a one-page ruling issued by the stewards. With Legal Authority disqualified, the revised order of finish for second through fifth has been amended to Bombard, Oso, Dreamy Martini, and Specimen.

Palma could face a fine or suspension for the disqualification, although no hearing has been scheduled, steward Scotty Chaney said on Friday.

Legal Authority has started once since May 8, finishing last of 10 in a maiden race on turf June 4.

Santa Anita meet winding down

After Monday, Santa Anita will have only three days of racing remaining at the spring-summer meeting. The Southern California circuit will then start a period of two three-day weeks of racing.

Racing resumes at Santa Anita on Friday. The final Saturday of the meeting has two $125,000 races for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs – the Santa Anita Juvenile and the Landaluce Stakes for fillies. There is no stakes on Sunday’s closing day.

Del Mar begins its summer meeting July 15 with three days of racing that will include five stakes, all on turf. The richest race on opening weekend is the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes, a Grade 2 at 1 1/8 miles on July 17.

There has been no turf racing at Santa Anita since June 19. Santa Anita resod its turf course in June, leading to three weeks of racing on dirt for the end of the meeting. The new turf course at Santa Anita is scheduled to be used for the first time at the autumn meeting, which begins Sept. 30. The autumn meeting includes the Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 4-5.