Brad Maione

The New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division has ruled against trainer Todd Pletcher in his appeal of a 10-day suspension and $1,000 fine he received after Forte (Violence) tested positive for Meloxicam in the 2022 GI Hopeful Stakes. A separate matter, regarding whether or not Forte should be disqualified, is still pending. It was not immediately clear whether or not Pletcher would have to begin serving his suspension. In May of 2023, it was announced that Forte had tested positive for what is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Pletcher issued...

The lawyer for New York-based trainer Gary Contessa said the veteran conditioner is considering his options after the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) ruled on Monday to reduce a $4,000 stewards' fine to $1,500 for his violation last autumn of a state "claiming jail" rule. Contessa was initially fined Oct. 17 after he ran Answer the Call (Dialed In) in a Sept. 25 claiming race at Delaware Park. He had claimed that filly out of an Aug. 4 race at Saratoga and believed she would be allowed to run...

The New York Gaming Commission issued a statement Friday regarding the controversial disqualification of Brick Ambush (Laoban) in the Dec. 16 Great White Way S. at Aqueduct that was meant to bolster the argument that the stewards made the right call, but it included a photo that could be construed as doing the exact opposite. The TDN and other news outlets received an email from New York Gaming Commission Director of Communications Brad Maione that included six screen shots from the race taken at the point where there was contact...

The two jockeys currently ranked second and third for wins this season at Finger Lakes are both facing sanctions for their roles in two separate races last week in which one rider was piloting a long shot that altered course while the other rider was aboard the beaten favorite. According to a stewards' ruling posted Aug. 8 on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website, jockey John Davila, Jr., who has been riding at Finger Lakes since 1983, has been fined $500 "for riding in manner contrary to the...

The three New York stewards met with Trainer Todd Pletcher and his representation Wednesday "regarding an alleged medication violation of a horse that raced in New York on September 5, 2022," according to Brad Maione, Director of Communications for the New York State Gaming Commission. Maione was answering an email request from the TDN for information on the meeting. "In this case, the matter likely would have been adjudicated months ago but for the repeated procedural delays sought by the trainer's counsel," Maione wrote. According to a report in Tuesday...

The notice began appearing on the overnight in early January. "By order of the stewards. Pursuant to NYSGC RULE 4033.8. Effective February 1st, only equipment specifically approved by the stewards shall be worn or carried by a jockey or a horse in a race. No equipment change (including shoes) will be allowed once the overnight is published." "There is no new rule," wrote Brad Maoine, Director of Communications for the New York State Gaming Commission in response to TDN's request for information about the new posting on the overnight. "The...

A Monday news story in the Blood-Horse stating that the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) would be taking no action on a formal protest lodged by the owner of the runner-up in the Dec. 4 GII Remsen S. came as a surprise to that owner and his attorney, who told TDN later in the day they had received no communication from the commission indicating that the protest wouldn't be allowed to advance. The matter involves Jeff Drown, the owner of Remsen second-place finisher Zandon (Upstart), who said that the...