Ralph Ziadie formally denied training license

Florida racing regulators have denied a license to the trainer Ralph Ziadie, citing a string of medication positives over the past six years, including six unresolved medication violations in the past 12 months, according to records provided by the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering on Thursday.

A letter from the division, dated June 29, says that Ziadie is entitled to a hearing to contest the license denial. On Wednesday morning, Ziadie claimed not to have any knowledge that the license was denied, saying that he sent a check and the license application to the division in mid-June but had not received a response.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Ziadie said, before saying that he could not talk any further.

Despite Ziadie’s response, he has not trained a horse since June 30, and the horses formerly under his care are being trained by Georgina Baxter, a former exercise rider. In addition, a document provided by the Florida division states that Ziadie was served a copy of the letter on July 2.

The license denial was first reported by the Paulick Report on Tuesday. However, Daily Racing Form submitted a request to the Florida division on July 10 seeking all rulings in the past 12 months involving Ziadie, and despite the division at first stating that it was working on a response to the request, it did not respond to several follow-up emails over the next three weeks.

Ziadie, a longtime trainer, began cutting back on the size of his stable a decade ago, but in 2016, after his son Kirk Ziadie was banned for six years, he began starting more and more horses. In 2015, he started 37 horses, winning once, but in 2016 his horses made 207 starts, with 42 wins, and the next year his horses made 212 starts, with 59 wins.

This year, his horses had made 93 starts with 24 wins prior to the license denial. Baker has started 17 horses, with three wins and earnings of $101,620.

The letter from the Florida division cited numerous violations of racing regulations for regulated medications such as the painkillers phenylbutazone and flunixin, as well as multiple overages for the bronchial dilator clenbuterol. The letter further states that if Ziadie does not request a formal hearing within 21 days of receiving the letter, the denial will become a formal order.

It is believed that Ziadie or his legal representative has requested a hearing.