Panel Drops Cocaine Case Against 5 Horse Trainers

Accusations against D. Wayne Lukas, Laz Barrera and three other thoroughbred trainers alleging the presence of cocaine in horses they train were dismissed today.

Leonard Foote, secretary of the California Horse Racing Board, announced at a news conference at Hollywood Park that the decision had been made by the CHRB on Tuesday.

In addition to Barrera and Lukas, accusations were dropped against Barrera’s son, Albert; Anthony J. Hemmerick, and Bryan Webb.

‘Accusations We Cannot Prove’

“We don’t want to charge people with accusations we cannot prove,” Foote said.

Foote said that the cocaine presence originally identified in the horses was in the billionths-of-a-gram range.

Still pending is the case against Roger Stein, the first trainer to be accused. Deputy Atty. Gen. Patricia Esgro said at the news conference that it was “inappropriate to discuss the Stein case,” which continues in litigation.

Esgro also said that it would be incorrect within the evidence, circumstances or tests to draw parallels in the individual cases.

The controversy began last fall when the Board of Stewards at the Santa Anita Oak Tree meeting suspended Stein for 180 days and imposed a $2,000 fine.

Laboratory tests indicated cocaine after a Stein horse, Emperor’s Turn, finished second in Oak Tree’s first race on Oct. 23, the CHRB said.

Under racing’s “trainer’s responsibility rule,” the trainer is responsible for whatever happens to an animal under his control.

Stein, 35, vigorously denied the charge, won an injunction and has a Superior Court appeal pending June 22.

Stein also has pending a civil suit against Truesdail Laboratories of Tustin, the CHRB’s official lab, asking in excess of $25 million damages.