Trainer Miller fined, suspended for stable operations violations

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Peter Miller, who ceased operating a stable in his name last November, was fined $10,000 and suspended seven days on Saturday as part of a stipulated agreement with the California Horse Racing Board regarding his actions involving the day-to-day operation of a stable run by his former assistant, Ruben Alvarado.

The ruling, issued by Santa Anita stewards Luis Jauregui, David Neusch, and Kim Sawyer, cited a racing board rule prohibiting “program training,” or the practice in which a person other than the listed trainer handles horse management or a stable’s business affairs.

In late May, the racing board filed separate complaints against Miller and Alvarado, alleging they improperly handled the large stable Miller relinquished to Alvarado last fall.

Miller, one of California’s most prominent trainers, stopped training last November, citing burnout and a desire to spend more time with his family. Miller turned the stable over to longtime assistant Alvarado, saying at the time that he planned to retain an advisory role with the stable.

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The complaint alleges that between Dec. 23, 2021 and March 24 of this year Miller took a more active role, “and engaged in behavior consistent with the duties of a trainer at the San Luis Rey Downs Training Center” with horses trained by Alvarado.

The racing board cited activity from Miller such as “entering horses, conducting endoscopy exams, giving instruction to riders, examining horses, consulting with veterinarians, controlling and accessing bank accounts purported to belong to Ruben Alvarado Racing Stables, assigning jockeys, and creating training charts.”

Miller is suspended from June 6-12 and cannot access property regulated by the racing board, such as the San Luis Rey Downs training center or Santa Anita, where Alvarado has stables.

The stewards did not issue a sanction against Alvarado on Saturday. A hearing in his case is scheduled for July. In a complaint against Alvarado, the racing board alleged that Alvarado was aware Miller was handling those day-to-day activities and “did not set up his own stable bank account independent of Miller, which was required per the steward's direction.”

Alvarado has been the stable’s official trainer since the Los Alamitos winter meeting last December.

On May 29, Miller had his first official starter since November when Respect the Code finished sixth in an allowance race at Churchill Downs. Miller, who has won 1,338 races, said last week that he plans to resume training this summer at Los Alamitos, which starts a three-week meeting on June 25, and for the Del Mar summer meeting, which begins on July 22.

Miller said he does not plan to train at the current Santa Anita meeting which ends on June 19.

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