Two Texas 'program trainer' cases settled
The Texas Racing Commission on Monday announced settlements for four individuals involved in two “program trainer” cases at Retama Park near San Antonio. The penalties ranged from fines between $500 and $4,000 and suspensions from 15 days to 12 months.
A “program trainer” or “paper trainer” is a licensed trainer whose name appears as the trainer of record in official entries, but the horse is not in their care and instead has been prepared for said race by another individual.
Jockey Francisco Perez and agent Oscar Perez were fined $4,000 each and suspended 12 months for entering Last Shadow in an Aug. 1 race at Retama Park with Henry Uriegas Sr., listed as trainer. The horse was actually trained by Francisco Perez, according to the press release.
In a second case, K One Cherokee was entered in a July 31 race at Retama Park with Uriegas listed as trainer, but the horse was instead prepared by his owner, Jessica Vasquez-Lopez. She was fined $500 and suspended 15 days, according to the press release.
Uriegas, in the second case, was fined $2,500 and suspended 12 months, with six months probated pending no further violations. In the Perez cases, four months are probated pending no further violations.
