Trainer to Appeal 30-Day Suspension

Darrell Vienna, the trainer who doubles as an attorney, said Monday an appeal would be filed with the California Horse Racing Board after the Del Mar stewards suspended trainer Mike Harrington for 30 days for a positive drug test earlier this year.

Stewards Ingrid Fermin, Dennis Nevin and Dave Samuel handed down the ruling after a recent hearing involving a positive albuterol test on Arosa, who finished second for Harrington in the fifth race at Santa Anita on March 20.

Albuterol, a bronchial dilator, aids horses who have breathing problems. It is not permitted to appear in post-race tests at a level exceeding one nanogram, which is a billionth of a gram.

The stewards also ruled that Harrington and owner Heinz Steinmann will have to forfeit the $3,800 Arosa earned that day. The purse will be redistributed.

Another trainer, Howard Zucker, was fined $2,500 by the stewards for an albuterol positive on Bold As Beau, who won the fourth race at Santa Anita on March 21. The $6,600 winner’s share of that purse also will be redistributed.

Vienna, representing both Harrington and Zucker, said Zucker might appeal his fine. The trainers have 72 hours to file appeals with the CHRB.

“I feel confident we’ll prevail in the appeal,” Vienna said. “There were mistakes of law made [during the hearings].”

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Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. had a milestone winner Monday, his second day back after missing more than a month because of broken ribs and a broken collarbone suffered in a spill July 25. The victory aboard Sea Crest in the fourth was Pincay’s 889th at Del Mar, tying him with Bill Shoemaker as the all-time leader at the track.