Weekly Rulings: June 4-10; Trainer Guerrero Sees 8-Month Testosterone Ban Essentially Eliminated

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Among this week's rulings, Pennsylvania-based trainer J Guadalupe Guerrero saw his eight-month ban for two testosterone positives essentially expunged after the period of ineligibility was back-dated to preclude the trainer from serving time on the sidelines–a result of the trainer providing compelling evidence that testosterone had inadvertently entered the horses' systems. He was also fined a combined $5,000.

Guerrero was facing three positives for testosterone, a banned substance. Can't Stop a Chub tested positive for the substance after the mare suffered a catastrophic injury to her right hind midrace in the third at Parx Racing on July 22 last year, and Silver City Kitty tested positive for Testosterone after finishing second at Parx Racing on September 15.

The trainer's Rock Me Gently also had an Out of Competition testosterone positive from a sample taken on August 22 last year, but HIWU decided not to impose any charges as they were unable to prove the horse “was exposed to Testosterone after being claimed by Mr. Guerrero on April 8, 2025,” according to HIWU's case resolution (concluded without a hearing or final decision).

Prior to arbitration, Guerrero provided evidence of a diagnosed medical condition for which his doctor had prescribed a Testosterone-containing gel that he'd been applying to his arms for about a decade

While Guerrero's doctor had reassured the trainer that the risk of inadvertent transfer was low, Guerrero still took precautionary measures including applying the product to his arms in the morning at his house, washing his hands before going to work (where he often groomed his own horses), applying an alcohol-based hand rub at the track, and wearing gloves when handling his horses' mouths, according to the case resolution.

After receiving notice in September last year of the first positive finding, however, “Mr. Guerrero contacted his doctor to switch to an alternative treatment for his condition. As of October 14, 2025, Mr. Guerrero had stopped using the Testosterone Gel,” according to HIWU's case resolution.

Because Guerrero was able to establish the likely source of the positive tests, as well as outlining the steps he'd taken to avoid inadvertent contamination, HIWU placed the trainer's degree of fault at the low end of the light degree of fault range.

While HIWU imposed a combined eight-month ban for the two positives, they back-dated it to September 15 of last year (with a completion date of May 15). Guerrero has never stopped training throughout these proceedings.

Sarah Andrew

Resolved ADMC Violations
Dates: 06/09/2026
Licensee: Fidencio Jimenez, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000 ($500 per violation); imposition of 3 Penalty Points (1.5 Penalty Points per violation). Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Flunixin and Phenylbutazone–both class C controlled substances–in a sample taken from Merlin the Red, who finished fifth at Will Rogers on 4/7/26.

Dates: 06/04/2026
Licensee: Steve Miyadi, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Diclofenac–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Tom Seaver, who finished eighth at Santa Anita on 4/17/26.

Dates: 06/04/2026
Licensee: J Guadalupe Guerrero, trainer
Penalty: 8-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on September 15, 2025; 6-month period of ineligibility for two of the Covered Horses, beginning on August 22, 2025 (for Rock Me Gently) and September 15, 2025 (for Silver City Kitty); a combined fine of $5,000. For Silver City Kitty, disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable). No consequences were imposed in the Rock Me Gently case.
Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Testosterone–a banned substance–in samples taken from Can't Stop a Chub, who according to Equibase suffered a catastrophic injury to her right hind midrace in the third at Parx Racing on 7/22/25, and was subsequently euthanized; from Silver City Kitty, who finished second at Parx Racing on 9/15/25; and an Out of Competition sample from Rock Me Gently on 8/22/25.

Dates: 06/03/2026
Licensee: Satchell Sayer Stevens, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Derby Day, who finished second at Will Rogers on 4/21/26.

Sarah Andrew

Pending ADMC Violations
06/10/2026, Hector M. A. Morales, trainer: Pending vet's list medication violation for the presence of Caffeine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Starship Mocha on 3/25/26.
06/09/2026, Steve Epley Jr., trainer: Pending vet's list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Call Me Toni on 5/12/26.
06/09/2026, John Jerry Robb, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Hoppetosse, who won at Laurel Park on 5/10/26.
06/09/2026, Roberto Rosado, trainer: Pending medication violations for the presence of Mephentermine and Phentermine–both banned substances–in samples taken from H C Holiday, who finished second at Parx Racing on 4/1/26; from Happy Flyer, who finished second at Penn National on 4/3/26; and from Solemn Oath, who won at Parx Racing on 4/22/26.
06/09/2026, Thomas Amoss, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Methamphetamine–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Glen Airy on 3/18/26.
06/05/2026, Ryan Hanson, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Potica, who finished third at Santa Anita on 4/30/26.
06/05/2026, Dave Treharne, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Calthinone–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Amy's Star, who finished fourth at Mahoning Valley on 3/12/26.
06/05/2026, Kevin Buttigieg, trainer: Pending medication violations for the presence of Calthinone–a banned substance–in samples taken from Globetrotting, who won at Mahoning Valley on 3/6/26; and from Ernie's Martini, who won at Mahoning Valley on 3/10/26.
6/04/2026, Martin Orona Sr., trainer: Pending out-of-competition medication violation for the presence of Albuterol (Salbutamol)–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Miss Fluffy on 3/22/26.

Crop Violations
Aqueduct
Javier J. Castellano–reporting date June 4; $1,000 fine, two-day suspension, on appeal stay requested

Belterra Park
Victor M. Lebron–reporting date June 4; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Churchill Downs
Francisco J. Arrieta–reporting date June 5; $750 fine, five-day suspension, on appeal stay requested

Delaware Park
Cipriano A. Gil–reporting date June 9; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Micah Meeks–reporting date June 6; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Parx Racing
Patrick A. Henry–reporting date June 4; $500 fine, three-day suspension

Penn National
Wilfredo Corujo–reporting date June 8; $500 fine, three-day suspension

Prairie Meadows
Daniel V. Padron–reporting date June 5; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Santa Anita
Welfin R. Orantes–reporting date June 6; $1,000 fine, two-day suspension
Joel R. Mejia–reporting date June 5; $87 fine, one-day suspension

Thistledown
Luis A. Gonzalez–reporting date June 8; $250 fine, one-day suspension