Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
N.Y. officials say they will take Jorge Navarro’s entries
ELMONT, N.Y. – Embattled trainer Jorge Navarro, who was not allowed to run horses in Maryland and Indiana this week, will be permitted to run horses in New York, according to state and New York Racing Association officials.
Navarro, who does not keep a regular stable in New York, is expected to enter Sharp Azteca in the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park on Sept. 23. He is also pointing El Deal, winner of the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga, to the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont on Sept. 30.
“We’re going to take his entries,” said Steve Lewandowski, the steward for the New York State Gaming Commission. “His license is in good standing.”
Navarro and one of his owners, Randal Gindi, were each fined $5,000 by the Monmouth Park stewards for “conduct detrimental to racing” after a video of them whooping it up in the Monmouth clubhouse over a victory at Gulfstream Park by a horse trained by Marcial Navarro – Jorge’s brother – surfaced on the internet. On the video, Gindi was yelling “Juice Man,” while both Navarro and Gindi were heard to say, “We f--- everyone.”
Lewandowski said he and the other two New York stewards were scheduled to meet with Navarro on Friday.
“We want to ask him about it and talk to him, that’s all,” Lewandowski said. “He’s good to participate unless I hear otherwise from the gaming commission.
The Monmouth stewards said the $5,000 fine was the stiffest penalty they could assess, but recommended that the New Jersey Gaming Commission increase the fines to $20,000 for Gindi and $10,000 for Navarro. The stewards did not recommend taking action on either one’s license. The gaming commission holds its next meeting on Wednesday.
Officials in Indiana and Maryland used the fact that the case was still pending as reason to not allow Navarro to run in those states. Navarro, who was not licensed in Indiana, had to scratch Duchess of Duke from Wednesday’s $100,000 Merrillville Stakes at Indiana Grand. Also, Maryland would not accept any entries from Navarro for this Saturday’s Laurel Park card, which features seven stakes.
Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing, said that Navarro “is fine to run here” but added that additional security measures could be put in place such as more outof-competition testing of his horses and potentially additional security around his barn.
Panza said that Navarro “is guilty of poor judgment, saying things he shouldn’t be saying.” Panza said that as far as he knew Navarro was not facing any suspensions for medication positives.
Navarro is currently appealing a positive test for cocaine in one of his horses who finished second in a $5,000 claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs in February. Navarro has said the positive test is the result of environmental contamination.
Navarro said he does plan on applying for stalls for the Aqueduct meet that opens on Nov. 3.
“A hundred and fifty percent it’s a yes,” Navarro said. “Navarro is real interested in sending some horses to New York. I think it’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m going to go for it.”
Rice may try Korea again
Papa Shot’s third-place finish in the Keeneland Korea Cup in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday has trainer Linda Rice thinking she may like to try Korea racing again in 2018.
Papa Shot, a 5-year-old New York-bred gelding owned by Barry Schwartz, was beaten 21 lengths by winner London Town in the Korea Cup, but he did earn $114,842. Rice said that Bill Nader, former head of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, approached both her and Schwartz about sending a few horses to Korea for their major night of racing.
“They asked me originally for Seymourdini and I didn’t want to do that,” said Rice, who did not make the trip to Korea. “Barry Schwartz was very open to the idea, thought it was something exciting to try.”
Nader and Schwartz worked together when both were in upper management positions at the New York Racing Association.
“I said ‘Okay, let’s do it,’ ” Rice said. “It’s a little scary shipping a horse that far away, but for a first venture there I thought it went pretty well. Third money was not bad. They pay all expenses. I may be more inclined to send one horse for the Cup and one for the Sprint.”
The Ken McPeek-trained The Truth Or Else finished fourth in the Sprint.
Meanwhile, Rice on Tuesday was in Saratoga, where Matt King Coal worked six furlongs in 1:13.09 and Seymourdini worked five furlongs in 1:00.01 over the main track. Matt King Coal is expected to run in the Grade 2 Kelso on Sept. 23. Seymourdini, who has not raced since winning the State Dinner Stakes by 10 1/2 lengths at Belmont on July 4, is likely to await the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler on Oct. 28.
For Seymourdini, it was his second breeze back since getting a vacation at Dr. Patty Hogan’s Farm in central New Jersey.
“His first breeze was good, his second breeze was better,” Rice said.
With the Aqueduct backstretch opening this weekend, Rice was planning to move Matt King Coal and Seymourdini from Saratoga to Belmont, while shipping some horses to Aqueduct.