Report: Del Mar joins in banning Hall of Famer Hollendorfer

In the absence of the term "ruled off" -- there are, after all, no rulings against licensed trainer Jerry Hollendorfer -- California's other major racetrack has denied him the right to train there this summer.

According to the Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman, Del Mar, which starts its meet July 17, told Hollendorfer he won't be welcome, joining The Stronach Group and New York Racing Association in banning the Hall of Famer.

Hollendorfer's barn had four horses die as a result of injuries in racing or training during Santa Anita's most-recent season. On its final weekend last month, Hollendorfer was told to vacate his stalls.

He has since relocated to Los Alamitos in southern California and from Golden Gate Fields -- another Stronach Group property -- to Pleasanton in the northern part of the state.

“Del Mar is unwilling to take a public-relations risk is the easiest summary of it,” Hollendorfer's attorney, Drew Couto, told DRF. “Regardless of how supportive they are of Jerry, they don’t feel they want to take the PR risk." Couto added that "we are trying to explore all pragmatic solutions before finding a technical, legal solution.” 

"Every licensee in racing is on notice of potential arbitrary career-ending actions by racetracks without rules, standards, the right to due process, fundamental fairness and accountability," the statement read. The California Thoroughbred Trainers, a local group, has not commented on Hollendorfer's ban.

Separately, Del Mar has not issued a formal announcement about Hollendorfer's status there. A day after news broke of The Stronach Group's decision, NYRA announced he would be welcome to stalls there, then the next weekend rescinded that right, also without a formal release.

The Hall of Fame trainer has saddled more than 7,600 winners, including multiple champions, Breeders' Cup heroes and the 2010 Kentucky Oaks winner, Blind Luck.