Report: N.Y. court halts Forte’s DQ from Hopeful Stakes

A New York court granted a temporary restraining order on the disqualification of Forte from his win in the 2022 Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes.

Thoroughbred Daily News reported that the order was issued by the Schenectady Supreme Court after an appeal by attorney Drew Mollica for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola.

The New York State Gaming Commission disqualified Forte from his win in May because the colt tested positive for meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Pletcher was suspended for 10 days and fined $1,000.

Attorneys for Forte's connections argued that the amount detected, 500 picograms, was too low to affect a horse's performance and that it suggested environmental contamination, according to the report.

Repole also told Horse Racing Nation this month that his case gained support when Lisa Lazarus, the CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, said in May that 500 picograms of meloxicam in a post-race drug test would not rise to the level of being flagged under HISA rules. (Read more here.)

After a hearing, the gaming commission voted unanimously to uphold the DQ and suspension recommendations from a hearing officer, and Forte's connections challenged the decision in court.

The next step could come on Jan. 9, when the court could issue a permanent injunction, according to the TDN report.

The Hopeful was the first in a five-race win streak that included the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2-year-old male championship for Forte.