Trainer Milton Pineda is suspended 12 years for drug violations
Trainer Milton Pineda has been suspended for twelve years by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit after multiple findings of diisopropylamine in horses he trained.
Pineda's ineligibility began July 6, when his first provisional suspension began. It continues through July 5, 2035. The suspensions were first reported by Frank Angst at BloodHorse.
The 12-year suspension covers eight consecutive 18-month terms, one for each of eight different horses who tested positive for diisopropylamine according to HIWU disclosures dated in June and July.
The first was for Bella Renella, who crossed the wire first in a $20,000 claiming sprint at Santa Anita on June 2; she was subsequently disqualified to fifth and last. Bella Renella also crossed the wire first in a starter-optional claiming sprint at Santa Anita on June 18, but was disqualified from that race as well for a diisopropylamine positive.
The other six suspensions each pertained to different horses. Flatterwithjewels was disqualified from a second-place finish June 9, Big Splash was taken down from a win June 10, Chollima was disqualified from a win June 23, Catbernay was vacated from a victory July 1, and Keep Your Coil was taken down from a win July 2. The sixth horse listed was Wegonahavagoodtime, who crossed the finish line first in a claiming sprint at Los Alamitos on July 4. His disqualification has not been reflected in the Equibase race chart as of Saturday morning, though his horse profile lists him as finishing sixth and last.
According to the HIWU banned substances list, diisopropylamine is a vasodilator that lacks FDA approval. Pineda is the second Southern California-based trainer to be suspended recently for diisopropylamine positives. Lorenzo Ruiz was suspended 4 1/2 years for a trio of recent positives for the drug from horses he raced at Los Alamitos in June and July.
After the disqualifications, Milton Pineda has eight thoroughbred wins in 72 starts this year for purse earnings of $338,010. Counting thoroughbred, quarter horse and mixed-breed races, Pineda has won 25 races in 136 starts this year, accounting for $611,879 in purses. His first and only stakes win came Feb. 18, when See Through It won the El Dorado Shooter Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. In a training career dating back to 2019, Pineda has won 105 times in 612 starts, for earnings of $1.98 million.
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