Jockey Pedroza Suspended as Tests Show Cocaine Use

Martin Pedroza, the leading apprentice jockey at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park in 1983, has been suspended indefinitely by Santa Anita stewards because two state tests showed that he had been using cocaine.

Pedroza, 21, was named to ride five horses Wednesday, but was not allowed to compete. Pete Pedersen, a steward at Santa Anita, indicated that Pedroza may have to agree to enter a drug-rehabilitation program before he is permitted to ride again.

Pedroza said that he was not guilty. “I have not done anything,” he said. “And I don’t care how long it takes, I’m going to fight this to show that I’m innocent.”

Mike Willman, the jockey agent who represents Pedroza, said that the Panamanian rider twice underwent independent drug tests at Arcadia Methodist Hospital and both were negative.

Dr. Russ Matz, who supervised the testing at Arcadia Methodist, would not comment on the results. “I can’t give out that information, one way or the other,” He said. “All I can say is that a copy of the results has been given to Mr. Willman.”

Willman, who said that Pedroza had been tested only twice at Santa Anita, specifically questioned one of the tests.

“I saw it being done, and the bottle (used to collect the urine specimen) was dirty,” Willman said. “There was some kind of crystal material in it before Martin used it.”

Pedersen said that Pedroza had been tested three times since, Jan. 28 and that two of the tests indicated cocaine use.

Willman said that it is unlikely that Pedroza will submit to the rehabilitation program Pedersen suggested.

“He won’t do that, because he doesn’t have a problem, and that would be admitting to the stewards that he does,” Willman said. “One of the tests that was done at Arcadia Methodist was taken 30 minutes after he was tested at Santa Anita, and showed completely different results.

“We’re not opposed to testing. We took the other tests to protect ourselves. Rumors start flying around a race track and you’ll lose all of your business if people start believing them.”

Willman said that Pedroza was first tested by state investigators about two weeks ago, after failing to honor his mounts for two straight days without approval of the stewards.

Random testing of jockeys is done in some states but California riders usually aren’t tested unless the stewards believe there is sufficient cause. The Santa Anita stewards apparently believed that Pedroza’s missing two straight days of riding was sufficient cause.

According to Willman, Pedroza failed to ride the two days because of family problems.

“Martin says that his brother, Marcelino, has bilked him out of $170,000,” Willman said. “Martin was going to buy a house, and he found that the money wasn’t there. He was trying to reach his mother and his brother in Panama those two days, to get things straightened out, and that’s the reason he didn’t ride.”

Marcelino Pedroza, 36, was an exercise rider at local tracks when he was found guilty of the sale of narcotics in Pasadena Superior Court in 1985. Marcelino, who had been charged after being arrested in front of Martin’s house in June of 1984, did not appear for sentencing early last year and reportedly is riding in Panama, where Martin’s career began.

Martin Pedroza said Wednesday that he had testified against his brother in the 1985 drug trial. Marcelino Pedroza was Martin’s legal guardian when Martin began riding in the U.S.

Martin Pedroza won 142 races in 1983 and his mounts earned $2.3 million. With fewer than 500 mounts, he ranked eighth in the national apprentice standings, the riders ahead of him having between 140 and 1,100 more mounts.

After Pedroza’s five-pound apprentice allowance expired, his win total fell and his purse total dropped to $1.6 million in 1985. He is not among the leading riders this year at Santa Anita, having ridden 6 winners in 80 mounts.

“This (drug use) is a national concern,” Pedersen said. “We are thinking of the entire jockey colony at Santa Anita when we don’t let a jockey ride. We have to be doubly and triply sure that a rider is all right before he can come back.”

Pedroza has hired an attorney, who could not be reached for comment.