The Meadowlands Racetrack has issued an update in regard to the situation regarding Lady Shadow.
The Meadowlands has said that, in a hearing today (Wednesday, August 2) in Bergen County Superior Court, Hon. Robert P. Contillo, P.J.Ch. denied an application for emergent injunctive relief filed by the owners of Lady Shadow, seeking to enjoin the Meadowlands from refusing the entry of the mare in the Lady Liberty Stakes on August 5. NMR was represented by Jennifer Borek and Angelo Genova of Genova Burns LLC
On Saturday, July 29, the Meadowlands announced that Lady Shadow, an earner of $1,915,777 and the 2016 Dan Patch Award winner as champion pacing mare, would be unable to race at the Meadowlands after a post-race test at Harrah’s Philadelphia on May 28 came back positive for Clenbuterol.
According to the ruling issued by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, “Ronald Adams as trainer is in violation of PHRC medication rules and the trainer responsibility rule. Mr. Adams has waived his hearing before the Judges and will appeal the ruling to the Racing Commission. All purse money earned on 5/28/2017 must be returned and redistributed. Transfers of horses must be approved by the Judges at Harrah’s Chester or by the PHRC.”
“As a result of the finding that Lady Shadow was found to have unacceptable levels of Clenbuterol when she raced at Harrah’s Philadelphia and the split sample came back positive, the owners have been advised that the horse will not be allowed to race in the upcoming stake at the Meadowlands,” Meadowlands chairman Jeffrey Gural said on Saturday.
On Tuesday, August 1, the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey issued a statement in regard to the Meadowlands Racetrack’s decision to bar the entry of $2-million earner Lady Shadow.
In its statement, the SBOA, on behalf of the horsemen of New Jersey, stated that it believed it must address the Meadowlands’ decision to ban Lady Shadow from the Lady Liberty Stakes. The statement went on to say that while the SBOA applauded and supported the effort to protect the integrity of the sport, it cannot agree with this decision. The statement said that Lady Shadow had a Class 3 overage for a therapeutic medication and that the ruling was under appeal, with a stay granted by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission. The SBOA related that it believed that Lady Shadow's owners are entitled to due process and no action should be taken pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
Lady Shadow is not included in the field for the Lady Liberty, which has been drawn and appears below.
Lady Liberty Stakes
(PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer - Line)
1 – Call Me Queen Bee – Scott Zeron – Ross Croghan – 6-1
2 – Medusa – Matt Kakaley - Andrew Federico Jr. – 15-1
3 – Pure Country – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter – 4-1
4 – Frost Damage Blues – David Miller – Tom Fanning – 10-1
5 – Nike Franco N – Tim Tetrick – Jo Ann Looney-King – 6-5
6 – Penpal – Pat Lachance – Pat Lachance – 5-1
7 – Blue Moon Stride – Brian Sears – Mark Harder – 10-1
8 – Shesjustadelight N – Ron Cushing – Heidi Gibbs - 15-1
(With files from the Meadowlands)