Two Santa Anita claims voided due to medication positives

DEL MAR, Calif. - Two claims at Santa Anita in early June have been voided after the runners tested positive for controlled or prohibited substances under rules enacted earlier this year by the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority, according to rulings published on Saturday by Del Mar stewards.

As of Sunday, only one of the two horses had been returned to its previous owners as ordered, according to people involved with the claims.

Forgiving Spirit, claimed for $40,000 at Santa Anita on June 11, tested positive for the controlled substance acepromazine, a tranquilizer, and was ordered returned to owners Gem Inc. and Tom Kagele, who had the gelding with trainer Peter Miller.

On Sunday morning, the gelding remained in the care of trainer George Papaprodromou, who claimed Forgiving Spirit for the partnership of David Bernsen, Davis Racing, Mark Gorman, Jeff Lambert, and Andrew Schmidt.

“The owners want to return him,” Papaprodromou said.

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Miller said on Sunday morning that the new owners should keep the horse since Forgiving Spirit has been entered since the June 11 race. Forgiving Spirit was scratched during warmups at Los Alamitos on July 9 after displaying unsoundness, according to racing board records.

“They were notified when I was notified of the ace” positive, Miller said. “They should have 24 hours to keep him or give it back.

“Now they want to give him back? This is insane.”

Papaprodromou said Forgiving Spirit is in training with his stable at Del Mar.

“Who knows what will happen,” Papaprodromou said.

Flatterwithjewels, who was claimed for $12,500 at Santa Anita on June 9 by Flurry Racing Stables and trainer Phil D’Amato from owner and trainer Milton Pineda, tested positive for diisopropylamine, a banned substance thought to act as a vasodilator in horses.

D’Amato said on Sunday that Pineda planned to pick up Flatterwithjewels at a farm near Santa Anita.

Pineda was provisionally suspended for five positives for diisopropylamine found in his runners at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos in June. Miller has not been sanctioned for the acepromazine positive.

According to a Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit spokesperson, Flatterwithjewels could be suspended from racing for as long as 14 months for the positive, pending a decision by an arbitrator who will hear Pineda’s case.

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