After multiple findings for the banned substance diisopropylamine in horses trained by Milton Pineda in June and July, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit has suspended the trainer for a dozen years.
The dates of the suspension run from July 6, 2023—the start of the initial provisional suspension against the trainer—through July 5, 2035.
The 12-year total arrived from eight individual suspensions of 18 months each for eight findings of diisopropylamine. According to HIWU public disclosures, the first failed drug test for diisopropylamine arrived June 2 after Pineda-trained Bella Renella finished first in a claiming race at Santa Anita Park. The eighth such finding occurred July 4 after Pineda-trained Wegonahavagoodtime finished first in a claiming race at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Diisopropylamine is a vasodilator that falls on the banned substance list for its potential to improve performance.
HIWU also recently announced a five-month suspension of trainer Nevada Litfin for controlled medication violations during the race period involving the horse Dominus Tecum Aug. 16. HIWU does not list a site for the violation but Dominus Tecum was scratched by the stewards from the first race at Canterbury Downs Aug. 16, a maiden special weight event for Minnesota-breds.
HIWU issued a three-month suspension beginning Aug. 23 and added 60 days to that suspension for the accumulation of nine penalty points.
From 2,126 starts in 24 seasons of racing, Litfin has 194 wins and nearly $3.5 million in purse earnings.
