A horse that won at the Elko County Fair Board races in August was drugged with cocaine and the Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday voted to recommend revoking the racing license of the horse’s trainer and fine him $5,000.
The Nevada Gaming Commission on April 24 will consider penalties greater than can be imposed by the contracted state horse-racing steward, Doug Ray.
Ray determined that in the second race of the Aug. 24 event in Elko County, the No. 6 horse, named The Saime Pro, trained by Alvaro Torres, won the race and its $7,000 purse. The horse was submitted for drug testing, a routine procedure for the winner.
Test results indicated levels of the forbidden substance cocaine, as well as a major urinary metabolite of cocaine in the post-race urine sample. As a result, the winnings from the horse were redistributed, and the state steward fined Torres $1,000 and suspended his Nevada horseracing license for 180 days, the maximum extent of the steward’s authority.
But gaming regulations say the steward can appeal to the Control Board and the Commission for a greater penalty.
The regulation enabling the steward to appeal for a greater penalty has been in place for at least 30 years and Deputy Attorney General John Micheala said the Wednesday hearing was the first time a steward had ever appealed to use it.
The Control Board recommended that the Commission fine Torres an additional $4,000 and revoke his license immediately and ban him from reapplying for five years.
Torres did not attend Wednesday’s hearing and could not be reached for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
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