On Saturday, October 25 the Breeders' Cup Board of Directors voted to amend its Convicted Trainer Rule to include stipulations in regard to horses and assistant trainers.
A release by the Breeders’ Cup states that its board of directors unanimously voted to modify its Convicted Trainer Rule to prohibit the pre-entry or entry of any horse found to have tested positive for any substance listed under Class One or Class Two, Penalty Category A, in the 12-month period preceding the Breeders’ Cup championships.
According to the release, as part of the board’s revision of the Convicted Trainer Rule, Breeders’ Cup will also implement rule modifications prohibiting the participation in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships by assistant trainers or other employees that affected trainers may transfer horses to following the imposition of sanctions under the rule.
The rule modifications will be implemented for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup and all subsequent Championships.
“Our board is strongly committed to the principle that the most important asset of the Breeders’ Cup is integrity, and there is no place in the Championships for those who are unable to comport with the rules prohibiting the administration of prohibited substances,” William S. Farish Jr., the chairman of the Breeders’ Cup, was quoted as saying in the release.
The release goes on to state that while the contemplated changes will not be applicable for the 2014 event, Craig Fravel, the president and CEO of the Breeders’ Cup, indicated that the goal of the rule changes is to put owners and trainers on notice that serious medication violations will have consequences at the highest level of the sport.
“We are hopeful that in selecting a trainer, owners will exercise the utmost care to assure themselves that a horse in that trainer’s care will not be treated improperly,” Fravel was quoted as saying. “A commitment to playing by the rules is vital to the future of the sport.”
(With files from the Breeders’ Cup)
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