Pennsylvania commission suspends four trainers for failing to comply with subpoena

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission has suspended four trainers indefinitely for failing to comply with broad subpoenas in an investigation apparently focusing on hidden ownership and program trainers at Parx racetrack, an attorney representing the trainers confirmed on Wednesday.

The suspended trainers are Marcos Zulueta, Juan Carlos Guerrero, Joseph Taylor and Silvio Martin, according to Alan Pincus, who confirmed the names. Zulueta and Guerrero are third and fifth in the Parx trainers’ standings by wins.

Pincus said the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission issued the subpoenas in October, seeking “all racing and training records and banking records” for the individuals going back three years. He said that he advised the trainers not to comply with the subpoenas because they were “overly broad” and not specific to the charges that the commission is investigating, which he said involved allegations of hidden ownership in horses and the use of so-called “program trainers,” a term referring to someone who is the trainer in name only, but doesn’t actually train the horse.

“They are going on a fishing expedition, and that is a very intrusive thing for these people,” Pincus said. He also said that he is representing other unidentified individuals, including owners.

Officials of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Pincus said that he has filed a motion to stay the suspensions until the trainers are given a hearing into the accusations. He said he expected the commission to rule on the motion by the end of Thursday.

If the motion to stay the suspension is denied, Pincus said that he will file a motion in court seeking a ruling on the subpoenas.

“If a judge tells me that everything they asked for is reasonable, I’ll comply,” Pincus said. “All I’m asking for is that this request be reasonable. This is not an emergency situation. It’s a long process.”