Trainer John Martin Fined, Issued Lengthy Suspension
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Northern California-based trainer John F. Martin has been fined $20,000 and suspended one year by Golden Gate Fields stewards after three of his horses tested positive for prohibited substances, ergoloid mesylates, the California Horse Racing Board announced.
Under the terms of the ruling, half of the suspension will be stayed if Martin does not have any serious medication violations over a one-year probation period if he returns to training horses.
Martin said via text message that the positives tests, two of which were at the Big Fresno Fair last fall and one this spring at Golden Gate Fields, were the result of contamination. He texted that he would not appeal the ruling and has dispersed his stable of horses to other trainers.
According to the CHRB, ergoloid mesylates are used in humans to treat Alzheimer's disease and mood disorders. Known by the trade name Hydergine, ergoloid mesylates are thought to be used in racing as a treatment to deter respiratory bleeding or improve breathing.
The positive tests, collected via urine and confirmed via split sample testing, were collected from Ground Rules, third in the first race at Golden Gate March 21, 2019; Ralph Jacobs, first in the 7th race at Fresno Oct. 4, 2018; and Ruled by Girls, third in the fifth race at Fresno Oct. 4, 2018. The horses have been disqualified and purses for the races redistributed.
While searching the trainer's barn, CHRB investigators said they found three bottles of improperly labeled medications, a discovery Martin texted was related to inhalers he kept around his barn for his personal treatment of asthma.
Martin has trained 1,941 winners from 7,631 starters over a career dating back to 1984, ranking among the top-25 trainers in North America by victories in 2016-2017. This season he has 49 wins from 214 starts with stable earnings of $762,655.