Trainer Englehart gets 14-day suspension for bute violation in Victory Built

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Jeffrey Englehart will serve a 14-day suspension issued by the New York State Gaming Commission for an overage of the therapeutic medication Phenylbutazone discovered in the post-race sample of Victory Built, who finished second in the second race at Aqueduct on March 11.

Englehart, who waived his right of appeal, will serve the suspension from Thursday through Aug. 16. He was also fined $2,000.

Englehart is the fourth-leading trainer at this year’s Finger Lakes meet with 17 wins. He won his first race of the Saratoga meet on Sunday with Vintage, a horse making his first start for him after racing for Eric Reed.

This is the fourth Bute overage for which Englehart has been sanctioned by the NYSGC since January 2021. Since this incident occurred before the Horseracing Integrity Safety Authority’s anti-doping and medication control rules went into effect on May 22, this penalty is administered by the state regulatory body.

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Victory Built was disqualified from any part of the purse. He earned $9,200 for finishing second. He was claimed out of that race, but the claim was later voided.

Ortiz brothers get three days

Jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Jose Ortiz will both serve three-day careless riding suspensions from Aug. 9-11 for infractions that occurred last week at Saratoga.

Irad Ortiz Jr. was suspended for his ride on Eyes On Target, who finished first in the seventh race on July 27, but was disqualified to eighth for interfering with seventh-place finisher Cupid’s Claws.

Jose Ortiz was suspended for his ride on Indian Mischief in the final race on July 26. Ortiz allowed Indian Mischief to drift out into the path of He’s a Lucky Guy. In that instance, the stewards let the result stand.

Jose Ortiz could get another penalty for his ride in Friday’s sixth race when his mount Smart Uncle was disqualified from second and placed third.

State steward Braulio Baeza Jr. said it has not yet been determined if Irad Ortiz Jr. will face a penalty for his ride aboard Forte in Saturday’s Jim Dandy. Though the stewards put up the inquiry sign, they let the result stand.

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