AN AMERICAN-BASED racehorse trainer has been found guilty of feeding his horses breast cancer medication among other illegal drugs.
Paul Valery, based near Gulfstream Park racecourse in Florida, was fined $75,000 and suspended by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit from the start of this year through to May 2033.
The violations were related to several of his runners at his local racetrack in early 2024.
The Venezuelan-born trainer was found to have used SIX separate banned medications and was fined $12,500 for each of these.
An additional $500 fine was instituted for a trio of controlled medication violations during the race period.
One horse, Quincy Cafe, tested positive for two banned substances after winning an $8,000 claiming race at Gulfstream earlier this year.
One of the substances, formestane, is usually used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
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The second substance was an anabolic steroid called Hydroxytestosterone. The horse was disqualified with purse money ordered returned.
This horse was not the only one to be in breach of the rules, with another animal – Pure Speight – testing positive for the same drugs in April a month later.
The breast cancer drug is designed to stop the production of the female hormone estrogen.
This leads the body to produce more hormones, including testosterone which is considered by doping authorities to boost performance.
HIWU and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program regulations state: “Any substance administered during the Race Period that does not otherwise qualify as a Banned Substance, shall constitute a prohibited Controlled Medication Substance.”
Valery, who was a trainer in Venezuela before making the move to the United States in 2023, admitted to the charges.
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