Suspension of Handal is lifted even though case is not closed
Even though his medication case has not been closed, trainer Ray Handal had a provisional suspension lifted Wednesday by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit.
“Pursuant to Anti-Doping and Medication Control program rule 3247(e), HIWU has lifted the provisional suspension based upon information submitted by the covered person and the review of relevant scientific information,” the HIWU website said Wednesday. “The equine anti-doping notice has not been withdrawn.”
The dropping of the suspension was first reported by Paulick Report, which said HIWU considered evidence brought by Handal’s attorney Clark Brewster.
The net effect is that Handal may resume training horses while the investigation continues into 5-year-old gelding Barrage’s positive drug test for a banned substance.
Handal had been suspended last week after Barrage was flagged for the anabolic substance zeranol, sold in the U.S. as Ralgro, after finishing second in an allowance race May 28 at Belmont Park.
“We are relieved that Mr. Handal’s provisional suspension has been lifted,” Brewster said in a statement he sent via text to Horse Racing Nation. “On behalf of Mr. Handal, we have filed a written request with HIWU for a timely hearing relating to the suspension. In our hearing request, we outlined the scientific literature demonstrating the atypical finding by the primary lab to be a known feed contaminant and the likely cause of the adverse analytical finding.
“I credit the HIWU team for their further review and the reconsideration that led to a lifting of the provisional suspension. Mr. Handal has committed to full cooperation with HIWU to better understand how this contamination happened and, furthermore, to an educational opportunity that will assist all trainers in our great sport.”
Zeranol is synthetic non-steroidal estrogen. It is approved to promote growth in livestock, but it is not approved by HISA for racing or by the Food and Drug Administration for human use. It is on the list of anabolic agents prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency for human competitors.