Spawr fined for positives

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Bill Spawr was fined $8,500 on Wednesday as a result of two of his winners at Santa Anita in 2001 and 2002 testing positive for an excessive amount of albuterol, a medication used to aid horses with breathing problems.

According to a ruling released by the California Horse Racing Board, Spawr reached a stipulated agreement with the board that will not include a suspension. There was no hearing in the case.

Albuterol is allowed to appear in postrace tests at minute levels, but the Spawr horses were found to be over the legal limit.

The positives were found in postrace tests taken from Bafferta, the winner of the sixth race on March 8, 2001, and McAdam, the winner of the ninth race on Jan. 1, 2002.

The owners of both horses were ordered to return the purses.

Bafferta won a $52,000 allowance race for 3-year-old California-bred sprinters. The purse has been redistributed to the owners of Exquisite Woman, Free Shot, Sycuan, Unforgetabull and Cyk Katie.

McAdam won a $10,000 claiming race that had a $15,000 purse, which has been redistributed to the owners of El Nativo, Kilauea, Cee the Field, Confess and Margeds Ditto.

Spawr is one of the leading trainers in Southern California. Through Wednesday, he had four wins at the current Santa Anita meeting, and was tied for 10th in the standings.