By Matt Hegarty
The Ohio State Racing Commission is investigating an incident last Wednesday
at Beulah Park in which the wrong horses started in - and won - the fourth race
on the card, according to track and commission officials.
The horse who was entered in the race by trainer Enzo Canelo is named Valid Action.
Another horse in Canelo's stable, however, Purdy Tricky, ran in the race and won it,
paying $8.60. Beulah's track identifier failed to catch the mix-up before the race.
Sam Zonak, the executive director of the Ohio State Racing Commission, said
that commission staff members are in their final stages of an investigation,
but that he could not comment directly on the matter. Zonak said he expected
to present the results of the investigation to the Beulah stewards by the end of the week.
"I can tell you one thing," Zonak said. "The racing commission is not going to
tolerate it, no matter what the circumstances.
This will be treated with the appropriate disciplinary action."
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Regulators Probe Beulah Horse Mix-Up!
by Esther Marr
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The Ohio State Racing Commission has confirmed it is investigating a Nov. 19 incident at Beulah Park in which the track identifier failed to discover before the fourth race a different horse than was entered by trainer owner/trainer Enzo Canelo ran and crossed the wire first.
Canelo entered a horse named Valid Action in the race, but another horse, Purdy Tricky, was the one that wound up running in and winning the $3,100 event for $2,500 claimers. "Valid Action" paid $8.60 to win.
Canelo was listed as the owner and trainer of Valid Action, a 9-year-old gelding, as of the Nov. 19 race. The Noactor gelding, who has a record of 13-14-13 from 66 starts, was previously owned and trained by Shane Spiess.
Stakes-placed Purdy Tricky is still listed as owned and trained by Spiess. The 10-year-old gelding holds a record of 15-11-17 from 92 starts. Before the Beulah Park race, both horses ran unplaced in $4,000 claiming contests at Pinnacle Race Course in Michigan in early November.
Canelo has saddled 56 winners from 523 runners and has earned $531,513 during his four-year career. At Beulah Park this year, he has had 16 winners from 103 starters for earnings of $69,103.
During a hearing the morning of Nov. 26, OSRC officials met with the Beulah Park stewards to discuss the investigation. After the hearing, OSRC executive secretary Sam Zonak said no decision was issued by the stewards.
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