On Tuesday, October 15, the New York State Gaming Commission announced that it has appealed a recent court decision in favour of trainer Lou Pena. Therefore, a stay against the court action is currently in place.
Earlier this month, a decision by the Supreme Court in New York State directed the State of New York to dismiss all charges against Pena.
In May of 2012, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board announced that it had suspended Pena effective immediately and indefinitely after it found that horses under his care were illegally drugged in nearly 700 races in New York State. It had been announced that horses from Pena’s stable had amassed more than 1,700 equine drug violations.
“The state has appealed a recent court decision favoring Mr. Pena, which brings with it a stay of the court action,” the New York State Gaming Commission stated on October 15. “The state is confident that it will prevail on the merits in the court case. The commission recently received the hearing officer report on the matter and expects to rule on the proceeding at its November 4 meeting. We are dedicated to upholding the integrity of harness racing in New York State and are committed to full and fair hearings for all.”