The New Jersey Racing Commission issued a ruling dated December 1 suspending trainer Ross Croghan for 180 days and fining him $2,500 as the result of

the horse Cammabis violating the state’s total carbon dioxide (TCO2) regulations on June 6, 2007, at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

According to the ruling, Croghan’s suspension will be April 1, 2010, through and including September 27, 2010. Frank Zanzuccki, the NJRC executive director, said Croghan appealed the ruling to the state’s appellate division.

Croghan was initially suspended and fined by the Board of Judges in a June 2007 ruling, but appealed the decision. The matter was transmitted to the Office of Administrative Law and Croghan was granted a stay of the suspension and fine by the state Superior Court, Appellate Division on July 24, 2007.

On November 18, 2009, the NJRC adopted the initial decision (dated September 14, 2009) of Administrative Law Judge Candido which ordered that the commission’s motion for summary decision be granted and that Croghan’s license be suspended for six months and that he be fined $2,500.

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.