New York owner-trainer Brandon Charlerie has licenses revoked

The New York Gaming Commission on Monday approved a decision to revoke the owner’s and trainer’s licenses held by Brandon Charlerie and make him ineligible to apply for any license for three years.

The decision was a significant step up from an original 60-day suspension levied by New York stewards last year after they concluded Charlerie acted as a front for two unlicensed owners in the claim of the horse Palladian Bridge at Belmont Park in October of the previous year. The stewards’ ruling also included a recommendation that the commission consider additional sanctions.

Charlerie appealed the original suspension, and a hearing officer heard the case on March 15, according to the commission. The hearing officer then recommended that Charlerie’s licenses be revoked and that he be considered ineligible for relicensing for two years, commission officials said during a meeting on Monday.

The hearing officer ruled that Charlerie had committed “an improper, corrupt, and fraudulent act and practice in relation to racing,” as well as “committing and attempting to commit fraud.”

Charlerie was the listed owner of the horse after the claim in October 2016. He took over as trainer of the horse as well three starts later.

Stewards had ruled that the real owners of the horse at the time of the claim were Keno Walcott and Johnny Frontal, both unlicensed at the time. The two were later granted licenses by the commission and were fined $3,000 for their roles in the claim.

Charlerie has 18 lifetime starts as a trainer, with 16 coming last year, the first year he has held a trainer’s license. He has had two starts this year, both with the same horse, Shezerfirst, a maiden.