Muñoz Canó gets Kentucky suspension for clenbuterol positive

Owner-trainer Juan Muñoz Canó was suspended indefinitely by Kentucky racing authorities after federal regulators said a horse who suffered a fatal breakdown in an October race at Churchill Downs failed a drug test.

“The owner-trainer license issued to Juan Muñoz Canó is hereby suspended pending his appearance before the board of stewards for his alleged conduct against the best interest of horse racing,” Kentucky stewards said Thursday in their written ruling. “During his suspension, Juan Muñoz Canó is denied the privileges of all facilities under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. Entry of all horses owned or trained by Mr. Cano is denied pending transfer to persons acceptable to the stewards.”

The case against Muñoz Canó was opened Oct. 31 after La Bukana, whom he owned and trained, suffered a leg injury that led to her being euthanized. Testing revealed the banned medication clenbuterol was in the 2-year-old filly’s system at the time of her death, according to the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit. Muñoz Canó was cited by HIWU on Dec. 20.

KHRGC did not wait for federal wheels to turn. They voted 3-0 to suspend Muñoz Canó and supersede federal rules that entitle Muñoz Canó to call for a second split sample to be tested.

Muñoz Canó’s entry Friday night at Turfway Park has been scratched, and the same is expected for his three horses who were entered there for Saturday races. If Louisiana stewards decide not to recognize the Kentucky penalties, he still would have one horse on each of the programs Sunday and Thursday at Fair Grounds and two more next Friday at Delta Downs.