The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Tuesday issued a provisional suspension for trainer Angel Quiroz after two of his horses tested positive for a banned substance amid an ongoing investigation triggered by unusual betting.
Quiroz was linked to five horses that ran in separate races Aug. 9 at Saratoga Race Course in New York and Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Two of the horses -- Tepeyac and Scootaloo -- tested positive for albuterol in tests conducted in the days after the races, according to HISA, leading to the suspension.
Tepeyac won Race 4 at Monmouth Park on Aug. 9. The horse's odds moved from 8-1 to 3.8-1 ahead of the race. Scootaloo finished fourth in Race 3 at Saratoga the same day.
A third horse trained by Quiroz, Bonita Rough, tested positive for Albuterol in July, but did not participate in the Aug. 9 races under investigation, according to HISA. In the notice of violation, HISA acknowledged that Quiroz claimed a veterinarian said he could give the medication to Bonita Rough, if needed, even though it was prescribed for another horse. HISA said it did not receive any evidence to support the claim, according to the notice of violation.
"Mr. Quiroz will be requesting a hearing to dissolve HISA's provisional suspension," Bradford J. Beilly, Quiroz's attorney, told ESPN. "When all the facts are presented, we will establish that Mr. Quiroz did not compromise the welfare of Bonita Rough, Scootaloo and Tepeyac.
"We will also establish that there was a valid veterinarian-client relationship between Bonita Rough, Scootaloo and Tepeyac and the veterinarian that authorized administration of nebulized albuterol to these horses."
While provisionally suspended, Quiroz may not race or lead horses in reported workouts, claim horses covered by HISA or bring them into his barn.
Bookmakers in the U.S., United Kingdom and other international locations detected unusual betting interest on the five horses linked to Quiroz that ran Aug. 9, triggering HISA's investigation. Four of the horses, including Tepeyac, won.
