On Tuesday, February 17, the Ontario Racing Commission released its rulings in regard to appeals by licensees Kelly Sheppard and Sue Gangell.
A release by the ORC states that Sheppard appealed against Ruling Numbers SB 44438, SB 44437, SB 46139 and SB 46140. On April 22, 2014, an ORC panel was convened to hear the appeals. The release states that ‘the hearing was adjourned to allow for further investigation into another causal link from a source which results in aminorex, and examine alternative measures to deal with positive aminorex drug tests.’
The ORC panel denied Sheppard’s appeals, but it varied the penalty to the time of suspension served. The panel also imposed a six-month probation with conditions on Sheppard’s licence and eliminated the fines. The panel also ordered that the purses of the two suspended horses be redistributed to the other horses in those races.
The panel gave an oral decision at the hearing with written reasons to follow. The panel’s reasons for decision can be read by clicking here.
Gangell appealed against the Deputy Director’s Ruling Number SB 1/2015 which denied her request for a stay of Ruling SB 45980. The panel allowed the appeal. A transcript with the panel’s oral reasons for decision can be read by clicking here.
(With files from the ORC)