New York Racing Association senior vice president of racing operations Frank Gabriel Jr. was fined $4,000 by the New York Gaming Commission June 4 for "failing to follow proper claiming protocol" with a horse whose claim was voided at Belmont Park May 28.
The horse involved, Battalion, finished last of seven as the favorite in the $25,000 claiming race in the fourth race May 28 when racing for Bella Mia Stables and trainer Robert Klesaris. A claim of the horse was noted as being voided for administrative reasons in the Equibase chart.
According to Daily Racing Form, trainer Rob Atras won a two-way shake for the horse. The Form reported that the claim was not relayed at the proper time from the clerk of scales to a state employee who is to identify claimed horses following the race to be sent to the test barn for a post-race soundness exam. That is the standard procedure that allows for a claimed horse to be given a soundness examination. Claims of horses that do not pass soundness examinations are voided.
Klesaris has filed an appeal of the voided claim, Thoroughbred Daily News reported.
State steward Braulio Baeza Jr. told the Form that Gabriel was fined because he heads the racing department. Gabriel is the third NYRA official or employee to be fined and/or suspended by the NYGC since April 28.
"NYRA acknowledges that an administrative error resulted in a voided claim, and we will of course review the relevant protocols and update where necessary," said Pat McKenna, vice president of communications for NYRA. "However, we will also seek additional information from the New York State Gaming Commission on the rationale for issuing substantial financial penalties to individual NYRA employees for inadvertent administrative or clerical errors."
