The legal firm representing trainer Rene Allard has issued a statement regarding a recent appeal, and subsequent stay, related to a suspension and fine originally issued in Pennsylvania.
The statement, dated January 20, 2017, is as follows:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Re: Rene Allard adv. PAHRC, Ruling No. 17004C
Please be advised that this firm represents Rene Allard in his above appeal from a one year suspension and $5,000.00 fine meted out by the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission following a positive test on a horse in his charge for Oxycodone.
Mr. Allard had one of five (5) positives for this medication found by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission within a very short period of time. In fact, a stay has been granted to all five (5) of those receiving positives for Oxycodone by the Commission.
The levels found in all five (5) of the horses including Mr. Allard’s were extremely minute, measured in picograms (one trillionth of a gram) which support the probability of environmental contamination.
In addition, Mr. Allard has a meritorious defense and suspicion as to how the contamination occurred and we remain confident that we will be able to prove this at an administrative hearing which has yet to be scheduled. We are therefore extremely confident that Mr. Allard will prevail on the merits and that the matter will be dismissed without penalty.
Very truly yours,
HOWARD A. TAYLOR