Rodriguez, vet fined for medication violation

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Rudy Rodriguez and veterinarian Greg Bennett were each fined $3,000 by the New York State Gaming Commission for administering a drug to the horse Sage Valley outside the permitted time frame.

The fine for both was reduced to $1,500 for Rodriguez and Bennett waiving their right of appeal. According to the written ruling signed by gaming commission steward Steve Lewandowski, “This penalty is reflective of the findings of the investigation.”

Bennett admitted administering the drug glycopyrrolate, also known as Rubinol, to Sage Valley 72 hours out from his race Dec. 10 at Aqueduct. The drug cannot be administered within 96 hours of a race, according to regulations.

Sage Valley finished fourth in that race but suffered a cardiovascular collapse after the wire and died. The commission discovered the violation while investigating the cause of death. The drug was not found to be in the horse’s system, according to Bennett, who does not believe the drug caused the cardiovascular collapse.

Bennett said he administered the drug to Sage Valley to help “dry up airway membranes.”

“Rudy had quite a few horses coughing and snotting in the barn, and he was near them,” Bennett said. “I was under the assumption it was a 72-hour [drug]. It was an error in judgment on my part, strictly my mistake, nothing to reflect on Rudy.”

Sage Valley, campaigned by Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables, won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Championship at Pimlico and the Grade 3 James Marvin Stakes at Saratoga in 2013.

Medina serving suspension

Trainer Luis Medina is serving a 15-day suspension and was fined $1,000 by the stewards after one of his horses tested positive for the drug ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, after a race at Aqueduct in January.

The suspension began last Saturday and runs through May 23.

The horse, Best Play, was disqualified from second in the Jan. 23 race at Aqueduct and is now unplaced in the order of finish.

This is the second suspension for Medina this year involving Best Play. In March, he served 15 days and was fined $1,000 for the finding of multiple therapeutic drugs in the body fluid of Best Play following his third-place finish in the third race at Aqueduct last Nov. 5.