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Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Among this week's rulings, trainer Angel Sanchez-Pinero has been banned a combined four years and fined a combined $50,000 for two out-of-competition positive tests involving banned substances.

Sanchez-Pinero is already serving a combined 10-year ban for a series of medication violations stemming from 2024 onwards. That cumulative ban started on July 24 last year. This additional four-year ban begins Nov. 25, 2035.

On Apr. 24 last year, HIWU personnel took out-of-competition hair samples from Miss Hard to Get and Surprise Boss when they were stabled at Westampton Farm in Westampton Township, New Jersey.

Subsequent testing detected the presence of Clenbuterol, a banned substance, in the hair sample taken from Miss Hard to Get, and the presence of Albuterol, a banned bronchodilator, in the hair sample taken from Surprise Boss.

Though classed a banned substance, Albuterol is permitted only if given as an inhaled bronchodilator, and only if prescribed by a licensed veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinarian-patient-client relationship, according to HISA rules.

Similarly, clenbuterol is classified by HISA as a banned substance, but it is permitted for use for a maximum 30 days (within a six-month period) if accompanied with a valid veterinary prescription. Following administration, the horse in question is placed on the vets' list and unable to work or race until it tests clear.

According to both written final decisions, these penalties were meted out by HIWU after Sanchez-Pinero had failed to respond to necessary procedural notifications for more than six months, leaving him in “default” in these two latest cases.

Elsewhere this week, New Mexico and Texas based veterinarian Dr. Jason Scott has been banned 18-months and fined a total $30,000 (which includes $5,000 in arbitration costs) for possession of banned substances. His suspension began on Feb. 13 last year.

Three HIWU investigators searched Scott's truck at Sunland Park on Feb. 13 last year and found two bottles of Pitcher Plant Extract (otherwise known as Sarapin) and two bottles of Adenosine Monophosphate (also known as AMP). Both are prohibited substances under HISA.

Last July, Scott filed a federal lawsuit against both HISA and HIWU with a legal question that had yet to be litigated:

What happens at a mixed meet where both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses race, and a veterinarian who is a HISA “covered person” is found in possession of medications that are prohibited for use in Thoroughbreds, but the vet claims those substances were solely intended for Quarter Horses, whose regulation is outside of HISA's jurisdiction?

Indeed, in response to HIWU's official alleged violation notice, Scott wrote that he had not administered either substance to a “covered horse,” and that he possessed these drugs to treat “non-covered” Quarter Horses.

At the arbitration hearing, Scott further elaborated by stating how he “gave Pitcher Plant and AMP to non-Covered Horses as part of a pre-race routine that involved giving Pitcher Plant two days before a race, and AMP one day before a race, as a prophylactic measure to prevent tying up,” according to the final ruling.

In Hugh Hackney's (the arbitrator) case analysis, he also finds that Scott “followed the standard practices of the veterinarians in New Mexico at that time, and it was unclear, at best, if the [New Mexico Racing Commission] was following the rules set out for enforcement at HIWU. In fact, the commissioner of the NMRC was somewhat confused about what was covered before the investigation of Dr. Scott's truck.”

As part of HIWU's argument, they found several inconsistencies in the billing records he filed pre-hearing to explain the use of these drugs in Quarter Horses in his care, including 47 horses who appeared to have been administered Sarapin and AMP twice on the same day with no apparent justification.

These records also allegedly showed Scott had administered Phenylbutazone 17 times (on different dates and two different invoices) to Quarter Horses on the day before a race in violation of state rules.

HIWU asserted that “the billing record did not contain any medical impressions, diagnoses, or treatment records, and Dr. Scott did not provide any additional medical records,” according to the final ruling.

Scott blamed these inconsistencies on bookkeeping errors by his administrative staff.

“The basic facts are not in dispute, but the basis for the selection of Dr. Scott's van by Investigator Bennett remains questionable,” wrote Hackney, before meting out the penalties to Scott with the qualifier that they are “based on everything previously discussed and presented in this matter.”

The final ruling can be read here.

Resolved ADMC Violations

Dates: 03/10/2026

Licensee: Penny Rone, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.

Explainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Machico Madeira, who won at Mahoning Valley on 2/1/26.

Dates: 03/10/2026

Licensee: Miguel Penaloza, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Maliblue, who won at Parx Racing on 1/14/26.

Dates: 03/10/2026

Licensee: Daniel Hernandez, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); the following cases are treated as one violation as under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in samples taken from Holy Bullet, who finished second at Sunland Park on 1/5/26 and again 1/18/26; and from Lovesunfair, who finished second at Sunland Park on 1/5/26 and sixth at Sunland Park on 1/19/26.

Dates: 03/10/2026

Licensee: Daniel Hernandez, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Julia's Promise, who won at Sunland Park on 1/4/26.

Dates: 03/09/2026

Licensee: Carlos A. David, trainer

Penalty: A written Reprimand; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Caffeine—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from One Sweet Girl, who won at Gulfstream Park on 11/23/25.

Dates: 03/09/2026

Licensee: Dr. Jason Scott, veterinarian

Penalty: 18-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 13, 2025; a fine of $25,000; payment of $5,000 in arbitration costs. Final decision of arbitral body.

Explainer: Possession of Pitcher Plant Extract (Sarapin) and Adenosine Phosphate (AMP)—both banned substances—for an event dated 2/13/25.

Dates: 03/05/2026

Licensee: Angel Sanchez-Pinero, trainer

Penalty: Combined 4-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 25, 2035; 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Horses, beginning on April 24, 2025; a combined fine of $50,000 for the following two cases. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Out-of-competition medication violations for the presence of Clenbuterol—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Miss Hard to Get on 4/24/25; and for the presence of Albuterol—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Surprise Boss on 4/24/25.

Dates: 03/05/2026

Licensee: William E. March, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Protest, who won at Tampa Bay on 1/14/26.

Dates: 03/04/2026

Licensee: Craig Lewis, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Kikuride, who won at Del Mar on 8/31/25.

Pending ADMC Violations

03/10/2026, Joe Toye, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Roll Dem Bones, who finished fifth at Turf Paradise on 2/4/26.

03/10/2026, Arturo Chavez, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Albuterol (Salbutamol)—a banned substance—in a sample taken from She Mysterious on 12/9/25.

03/09/2026, Carla Gaines, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Diclofenac—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Royal Rumor on 2/8/26.

03/09/2026, Manuel Badilla, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Coolwind on 2/4/26.

03/06/2026, Isaiah L. Ortiz, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Ketoprofen—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Riding By on 2/4/26.

03/06/2026, Danny Gargan, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Wine Money on 2/4/26.

03/06/2026, A Ferris Allen III, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Misty Boss, who finished second at Laurel Park on 1/23/25.

03/05/2026, Luis Diaz, trainer: Pending out-of-competition medication violation for the presence of Albuterol (Salbutamol)—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Game to Play on 12/27/25.

Crop Violations

Mahoning Valley

Jason Simpson – violation date March 11; $1,500 fine, ten-day suspension

Oaklawn Park

Assael Espinoza – violation date March 8; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Parx Racing

Yedsit Hazlewood – violation date March 9; $500 fine, four-day suspension

Sunland Park

Keviin Carmona – violation date March 9; $500 fine, three-day suspension

Tampa Bay Downs

Israel Rodriguez – violation date March 8; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Wesley G. Ho – violation date March 7; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Turfway Park

Orlando Bocachica – violation date March 7; $1,500 fine, nine-day suspension

Juan Meza – violation date March 7; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Yedsit Hazlewood – violation date March 7; $500 fine, one-day suspension

Sammy Barnett – violation date March 7; $76 fine, horse disqualified (Barnett struck his mount 15 times), no other information available

Juan Gabriel Lagunes – violation date March 7; $250 fine, one-day suspension.

The post National Rulings Mar. 5-11: Sanchez-Pinero Banned Four Years, Vet Scott Banned 18 Months appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Frank Fletcher went to $1.85-million to secure an Into Mischief colt (hip 416) from the consignment of S B M Training and Sales.

“He's by one of the leading sires in our generation,” said Donato Lanni, who signed the ticket on Fletcher's behalf. “Fast horse. Bill Mott is going to get him and Bill really liked him. And so we got a pretty good endorsement. And Frank loves to run at Oaklawn and [he] looks like a dirt horse.”

Out of the graded stakes-placed Will Take Charge mare Sweet Diane, the colt worked his furlong in :9 4/5.

Bred in Kentucky by River Bend Farm, he is a half-brother to stakes winner Miss Martini (Curlin).

Tami Bobo purchased him for just $75,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September last season.

The post Fletcher Picks Up Into Mischief Colt For $1.85-Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Champion Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) still has her sights set on her major spring objective, the GI Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, despite a hiccup last weekend in Hot Springs, the track said via a press release on Wednesday.

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said Nitrogen will make her next start in the Apr. 11 Apple Blossom following a third-place finish in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes.

Tabbed as the 3-10 favorite under regular rider Jose Ortiz, the filly was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Majestic Oops (Majestic Harbor) in the Azeri, that served as the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom.

Racing over a sloppy, sealed surface, Nitrogen appeared poised to take command late on the second turn, but she couldn't hold off Majestic Oops in the stretch and was caught late by Regaled (Mohaymen).

“Jose [Ortiz] said he thought she was much more tired this race than the last one, which, really, from a fitness standpoint, it doesn't make sense, right?” Casse said Tuesday afternoon. “We always thought she would need the first one. She's a big filly and the track was a little funny. Maybe she was just tired.”

The Apple Blossom is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Nitrogen, in her final start at three, finished runner-up in the race at Del Mar back in November.

Nitrogen was North America's champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 and opened her 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the GIII Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 7.

Casse said he “definitely” has a second Apple Blossom candidate in Nerazurri (Protonico), who has won three of four starts at the meeting, including two stakes. Nerazurri's only loss this season at Oaklawn was a runner-up finish behind her stablemate in the Bayakoa.

The post Oaklawn’s Apple Blossom Still The Target For Champion Nitrogen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A filly by Nyquist (hip 372), who stopped the clock for a furlong in :9 3/5, hammered down at an even $2-million to Boyd Racing during Wednesday's OBS March Sale.

“She was just an absolute queen the whole week,” said Hannah Jennings, who signed the ticket. “She was super professional. Obviously her stride was fantastic on the track and physically she's everything we could want. Nyquist is one of our favorites. He can get you a really elite horse and Ciaran Dunne sold two Grade I-winning Nyquist fillies out of OBS sales. So hopefully she can be the third.”

Consigned by Dunne's Wavertree Stables, Inc., the filly is out of a Lucky Pulpit half-sister to GISW Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute).

Bred in Kentucky by Cannon Thoroughbreds LLC, she was sold last year at Keeneland as a September yearling for $300,000 to Forest Bloodstock.

She is the second seven-figure Nyquist sold by Wavertree Stables this sale joining a colt who brought $1.2-million during Tuesday's opening session.

The post Nyquist Filly Brings $2-Million From Boyd Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on a Mo Town colt (hip 299) for $1.05-million early in Wednesday's second session at OBS March.

“Beautiful, beautiful horse,” Lanni said after signing on behalf of Baoma Corp. “Breezed exceptional. Beautiful breeze. He came out of it really well. I think that's the toughest thing on these young horses, to come out of those breezes. He's going to go to Bob [Baffert], bought him for Baoma Corp. They've been very lucky here over the years, so glad we got him.”

The colt, out of the Into Mischief Reckon, worked a quarter-mile in a sharp :20 2/5.

He was bred in Kentucky by William Lussky and consigned Wednesday by Hoppel LLC, Agent V.

Hip 299 was initially purchased as a weanling at Keeneland in November 2024 for just $40,000.

The post Baoma Corp Adds Mo Town Colt For $1.05-Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Colt by Drain the Clock bred by Saratoga Glen Farm and Dean Purdom, sold for $1.1 million Tuesday at the OBS March sale. OBS/Photos By Z

A New York-bred colt by Drain the Clock landed toward the top of the results sheet and was one of three seven-figure sellers during the opening session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training Tuesday in Ocala, Florida.

Pedro Lanz, agent for KAS Stables, went to $1.1 million for the colt, sold as Hip 132 out of the de Meric Sales consignment.

The colt is the seventh foal out of the unraced Freud mare Making a Point, the dam of three winners including $206,454-earner Moonachie.

Bred by Bred by Saratoga Glen Farm LLC and Dean Purdom and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm in Schuylerville, the colt originally sold as a weanling for $120,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. He then sold for $145,000 to de Meric Sales at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. The colt turned in an eighth-mile breeze in :09.4 during presale workouts, impressing Lanz and others on the sales grounds.

“This colt is a beautiful physical,” he said. “If we wanted this horse, we knew we were going to have to fight for him.”

Lanz said the New York-bred colt would be trained by Brad Cox.

“We bought him at the New York-bred sale, and he’s been a nice horse all year. We’ve always liked him a lot,” Tristan de Meric told BloodHorse. “He’s done everything right since day one. I’m still shocked with the result here. I knew he was a nice horse, but I’m just happy all the stars aligned for him.

“I had a feeling he might bring more than $500 (thousand), but after that is really hard to gauge. To be honest, I didn’t think he would get over that million mark, but I can see why people fell in love with him. He’s a beautiful horse, and he’s done everything right. He vetted clean. He jumped through every hoop, and I hope he does for the next connections as well.”

Hip 132, the $1.1 million Drain the Clock colt, is a half-brother to three winners including $206,454-earner Moonachie. OBS/Photos By Z

The seven-figure Drain the Clock colt helped spark strong results for New York-breds during the opening session. OBS reported sales on 18 of the 27 New York-breds through the ring Tuesday for a total of $3,735,000, an average price of $207,5000 and median of $132,500.

Six of those New York-breds sold for more than the average, including Hip 135, a colt by Jackie’s Warrior that brought $500,000.

Bill Childs purchased the colt out of the stakes-winning Carpe Diem mare Makin My Move. Bred by Chester Broman and his late wife Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, the colt is the first foal out of Makin My Move. He was consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester Broman.

A second-generation homebred for the Bromans, Makin My Move won four of 10 starts and earned $214,930. She won her debut in 2021 at Saratoga Race Course and the 2022 Honey Bee Stakes at the Meadowlands. Makin My Move is also the dam of a New York-bred yearling filly by Uncle Mo. She was bred to Arabian Knight in 2025.

Sequel Bloodstock also sold the session’s top-priced New York-bred filly – Hip 6, a daughter of American Pharoah that brought $385,000 from Bradley Thoroughbreds LLC, agent. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Bob Cromartie and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, the filly is the first foal out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Harley Girl.

From the immediate family of Hall of Famer Zenyatta and Grade 1 winner Balance, the filly is a half-sister to a yearling colt by Forte. Harley Girl sold in foal to Forte for $225,000 at the 2025 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Hip 242, a colt by Solomini bred by Torie Gladwell, brought the top price for a New York-sired juvenile at $150,000. Photo courtesy of Top Line Sales.

Hip 242, a colt by Solomini, sold for $150,000 to Jay Stone, agent, to finish the day as the top-selling juvenile by a New York-based sire.

Bred by Torie Gladwell, foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, agent, the colt is out of the Rockport Harbor mare Passeporta.

Passeporta is the dam of last year’s Joseph A. Gimma Stakes winner Sweet Montreal, stakes-placed and $188,371-earning New York-bred Sohana, 11-time winner Cold Snack Thirty and two other winners. Gladwell also bred Passeporta’s New York-bred yearling filly by Drain the Clock. Passeporta was bred to Mind Control in 2025.

Solomini, an 11-year-old Grade 1-placed son of Curlin, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. New York’s leading freshman sire in 2023, Solomini finished third on the Empire State’s general sire list in 2025 with progeny earnings of more than $4.2 million.

The sale continues with the second of three sessions at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The post New York-bred colt one of three to bring seven figures at OBS March opener appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Wavetree Stables consigns Hip 367, who is one of two Justify juveniles entered in the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Both of them will be offered during the sale's second session March 11.

Drain the Clock's momentum from the under-tack show carried into the ring during the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, when Hip 132 sold for $1.1 million to Pedro Lanz, agent for KAS Stables.

Consignor Cesar Loya experienced a milestone with the impressive profit from the Army Mule colt (Hip 139) he sold for $750,000 to Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm, setting a new record price for a horse sold by Loya.

According to the track, strong gains in on-track attendance and on-track handle have continued at Santa Anita Park as the Southern California track heads into the final four weeks of its Classic Meet.

A variety of seating and hospitality options for the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships were unveiled March 10 on BreedersCup.com as Thoroughbred racing's iconic international festival returns Oct. 30-31 to Keeneland Race Course.

A federal bankruptcy judge has agreed to provide interim financing that clears the way for Hawthorne Race Course to conduct its 2026 Thoroughbred meeting in April.

The $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs March 14 offers several runners a chance at redemption on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail, while others seek what could be their final opportunity to announce themselves as contenders.

Morplay Racing and Marquee Bloodstock went to $1.2 million for Hip 88, a colt by Nyquist, while Legion Bloodstock raised the bar by going to $1.35 million for Hip 95, a colt by Corniche.

Trust Account breaks her maiden at Gulfstream Park, while Blue Flame Six scores at Turfway Park.

Following March 7 victories that earned them 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1), Potente and The Puma have joined the leaderboard in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

As the countdown to the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) and $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) continues, fans will have another opportunity to wager on their favorites in the Future Wager pools, which begin March 13 at noon ET.

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.

After finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Tracy Farmer's La Cara (Street Sense–Cara Caterina, by Bernardini) and Shortleaf Stable's Quietside (Malibu Moon–Benner Island, by Speightstown) have each been retired.

La Cara, a homebred for Farmer conditioned by Mark Casse, won both the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes and GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes in 2025, in addition to the 2024 GIII Pocahontas Stakes and last year's Suncoast Stakes. The now-4-year-old bay made two starts in 2026, finishing off the board each time. She retires with a record of 15-5-2-0 and earnings of $1,254,903.

According to Robert Yates on X, La Cara will be bred to Not This Time.

Quietside, named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' on debut, raced as a homebred for Shortleaf. She won the 2025 GII Fantasy Stakes and GIII Honeybee Stakes after placing in both the GI Spinaway Stakes and GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes at two. The John Ortiz trainee, whose other 2026 start resulted in a third in the GIII Bayakoa Stakes, retires at age four with a record of 12-3-4-2 and earnings of $1,051,575.

A post on X from Shortleaf states Quietside will be sent to Nyquist for her first mating.

The post La Cara, Quietside Both Retired After Disappointing in Azeri Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

After breakdowns during the 2024 racing season forced the closure of the Clinton E. Phipps Sr. Racetrack on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February 2025, yet another accident took place during Sunday's opening day Spring Stakes feature Mar. 8 that saw a Thoroughbred euthanized and a jockey taken to a local hospital.

The story covering the incident was first reported by Bill Kiser of The Virgin Islands Daily News Mar. 9.

The breakdown last Sunday is part of a larger story at the Phipps track, which reopened for racing in 2024 after two hurricanes hit the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2017.

In a report by the TDN Jan. 30, 2025 seven horses had to be euthanized from May 3, 2024 to December 22, 2024. Also, unregistered Thoroughbreds were also allowed to compete and two horses who were banned by Gulfstream Park appeared in a race.

A little over a week after the filing of that story, the U.S. Virgin Islands government closed the racetrack so that an investigation could take place.

Before the 2025 closure, the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission (STT/STJ HRC) was regulating cards without anti-doping laws in effect and the local surface had not undergone professional testing.

Kiser reported in a piece in the Daily News Apr. 17, 2025 that after a four-month shutdown at Phipps that the STT/STJ HRC commissioned an inspection of the local surface by John Hubbs of the Phoenix-based Stabilizer Solutions Inc., who found the track up to code and not responsible for the breakdowns that occurred in 2024.

Kiser quoted STT/STJ HRC chairman Hugo Hodge Jr. who said, “It wasn't deemed that the surface was the root cause for the issues; it was more the condition of the horses.”

The report by Kiser also says that the Virgin Islands's Sports, Parks and Recreation Department and the STT/STJ HRC made changes to the course. They increased the height of the rails, and brought in 5,000 tons of new racing surface and underfill.

In that same Apr. 17 article, Kiser goes on to state that rule changes were made as well. For instance, the STT/STJ HRC's Dr. Laura Palminteri increased her efforts to conduct pre-race checks and alterations were made to the entry qualifications for the Governor's Cup.

Racing at the St. Thomas track resumed over the course of the summer and into the fall, but it is unclear if any breakdowns took place during this time period.

According to the Daily News article Mar. 9, the Phipps incident occurred during the fourth of six scheduled races on the card, which included a three-race field for Class A older females going a mile and 40-yards.

The piece cites an unnamed eyewitness who said that the trio was racing through the far turn when both 5-year-old Unrelentless (The Big Beast), ridden by jockey Joshua Navarro, and 7-year-old Raw Honey (Bal A Bali), with Jean Alvelo aboard, fell ahead of 7-year-old Family Band (Constitution), who had Sebastian Ortiz in the irons.

Unrelentless and Navarro went down first, according to the source, but the reason, Kiser said, is still undetermined by race officials. Raw Honey and Alvelo tried to avoid Unrelentless, but went down themselves.

The article says that the St. Croix's Truville Racing-owned Family Band went on to win the feature, which was the New York-bred's third victory in her last four starts. The piece did not state if the race was declared a no-contest.

The Daily News reported that Navarro suffered injuries that required he be transported to Schneider Hospital, while Alvelo was examined and treated at the track. The paper said that the injured rider's status at the medical facility was unknown.

However, it was reported that while Unrelentless–owned by Just For Fun Racing and a winner in her last four starts at Phipps–suffered just scrapes and bruises, the injuries to Raw Honey, who is owned by Boysie Tuff Racing Stables, were considered severe enough that the mare had to be euthanized.

According to Equibase, the majority of the horses that were entered last Sunday on the card were former claiming runners whose last recorded races outside of St. Thomas's track took place at Hipódromo Camarero in Puerto Rico during 2024 and 2025.

Before appearing in St. Thomas, Florida-bred Unrelentless finished sixth in a starter optional claimer at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31 of last year.

TDN reached out to the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission for comment, but did not receive a response by the time this story was posted.

The post Safety Concerns Mount Once Again At U.S. Virgin Islands Track As Horse Suffers Breakdown On Opening Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.