Provisionally suspended trainer Diodoro enters horse at Lone Star

Trainer Robertino Diodoro, who has been suspended provisionally by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit after the banned substance levothyroxine was allegedly found in his barn, entered a horse to run Thursday at Lone Star Park. Texas is not under the jurisdiction of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, and the state does not bind itself to HIWU rulings.

Diodoro entered Master of Disguise to run in a seven-furlong maiden special weight sprint. The entry was previously reported by Byron King of BloodHorse. According to King's report, Texas Racing Commission executive director Amy Cook said that Texas honors rulings issues by pari-mutuel racing commissions, but not by HIWU for cases that are currently being litigated.

Master of Disguise, who is both owned and trained by Diodoro, worked Thursday at Lone Star. That was the first work by the 3-year-old Mastery gelding since Diodoro was provisionally suspended by HIWU.

Diodoro is not the first trainer suspended by HIWU to run horses in a state that does not honor their suspensions. Jonathan Wong, who was suspended by HIWU for two years for a metformin positive, has made eight starts in Louisiana this year. His most recent start came Wednesday at Evangeline Downs, where Willamina finished eighth in a $5,000 claiming race.