New Drug Intrigue For 2011?

Published: January 4, 2011 10:00 am EST

The new year starts where the old one ended, with a drug mystery

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According to the Harness Tracks of America Newsletter, it involves thoroughbred trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr., who could face reprimand after one of his horses tested positive for a banned substance. State stewards would not comment on the nature of the positive test, and leading racing chemists said they didn’t know what had been found.

In an interesting sidelight, the horse involved, a $20,000 claimer named Fastus Cactus, winner of seven races, was claimed out of the race in question by trainer Naipaul Chatterpaul, who ran him back for the same price and won. He was given the option of returning him to Dutrow, but chose to keep him, saying “I think I can do well with him.”

The new owner, Kathryn D’Agostino, said she didn’t want the horse after he came back with a positive.

(With files from HTA)

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