Hong Kong Harry is DQ’d from 2nd-place finish in Turf Classic

Hong Kong Harry was disqualified from his second-place finish in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby 2023 undercard because of a positive finding of a banned substance.

Stewards with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission DQ'd the 6-year-old gelding after mofebutazone was found in a urine sample, as BloodHorse reported. Trainer Phil D'Amato was fined $1,000, according to the ruling.

Mofebutazone can be used to treat joint and muscular pain, BloodHorse reported, but is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in any species and is banned by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

HISA medication rules did not take effect until May 22, so the stewards' ruling was issued under Kentucky Horse Racing Commission rules.

The ruling also requires the $194,000 in purse money to be refunded. Hong Kong Harry is owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza.

Darrell Vienna, an attorney for D'Amato, told BloodHorse that the trainer "neither administered nor caused (the medication) to be administered. It was basically of unknown origin."

He said the stewards reviewed evidence presented by D'Amato and "reached what in my opinion was a fair and appropriate decision."

Before the disqualification, Hong Kong Harry had a record of 3: 0-1-1 this year. In his only start since the Turf Classic, he was third in the Shoemaker Mile (G1).