Servis' Indictment Leaves Owner Lombardi in Shock

On a day filled with shock in the horse racing industry, Ron Lombardi was stunned more than most.

Ever since 2007, Lombardi has owned horses trained by Jason Servis. They have won grade 1 stakes together and raced in the Breeders' Cup.

Through it all, Lombardi said he had no indication that Servis was involved in wide-spread doping of his horses that led to March 9 federal indictments of Servis, trainer Jorge Navarro, and 25 others involved in the sport.

"It's pretty crazy and unthinkable. My reaction is total shock," Lombardi said. "I found it hard to believe when I heard about it. Especially the magnitude of it, with the re-labeling and other stuff. That was what was crazy."

According to an indictment in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, Servis "orchestrated a widespread scheme of covertly obtaining and administering adulterated and misbranded PEDs" to "virtually all of the horses under his control."

Lombardi has 15 horses with Servis under the Mr. Amore Stable banner and said he never saw anything in stable bills to indicate fraud was being committed. But after reading the indictment, he can only wonder how many of his horses were treated with the illegal medications and how it impacted them. The star of Lombardi's stable is grade 1 winner Firenze Fire, who captured the 2017 Champagne Stakes (G1) and is coming off a win in the Feb. 15 General George Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park that pushed his earnings to $1,841,750.

"I don't know the horses he used it on, though I'm sure he used it on the majority of horses from what I've read. Whether that included Firenze Fire, I don't know. Maybe being a sprinter he didn't need the endurance side of it. Who knows. I'm thinking Jason was very naive about the implications of all this."

The New Jersey resident said Firenze Fire is expected to run next April 4 in the $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack and he's uncertain of how the 5-year-old will respond to new handlers.

"Hopefully he runs well on April 4 in the Carter. I'll be wearing my heart on my sleeve that day. That's going to be a big, big day," Lombardi said. "It's not clear when it all started with Jason. If Firenze Fire was on it, when was it? He broke his maiden, won the Sanford and Champagne in 2017 and to me it seems like that happened before all this stuff happened, but I don't know. It's not clear to me."

According to NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna, the New York Racing Association is keeping an eye on the horses in the Belmont Park barns of Servis and trainer Michael Tannuzzo, who also was indicted.

"All of the horses in the affected barns are being properly cared for and actively monitored by the NYRA Safety and Integrity team," McKenna said.

Lombardi said he was told by NYRA officials that his horses would not be allowed to train March 10, but will be cleared to move to other barns shortly.

"The horses can be walked," Lombardi said. "Then as soon as all of the horses are taken care of and identified in terms of who they are and who they belong to, I was told they can be moved as early as (Tuesday) afternoon or maybe Wednesday. It's comforting to know NYRA is on top of it and looking out for the best interests of the horses."

Amidst speculation that the trainers named in the indictment will have their licenses revoked, Lombardi is formulating plans to shift his horses to new barns.

"I'm just trying to get a handle on what's going on. It obviously does not look good and I'm making alternative plans for the horses," Lombardi said. "I do have horses with (trainer) Kelly Breen and I'm not saying that's what I am doing, but I have talked to him."

Given the large size of Servis and Navarro's stables, Lombardi is not alone in that regard.

Gary West, who owns Servis' 3-year-old champion and recent $20 million Saudi Cup winner Maximum Security, said he would issue a public statement March 10 about plans for the Eclipse Award winner who was disqualified from first to 17th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), as well as for the rest of his horses with Servis.

"This is unbelievable," West said, "I am studying the allegations right now."

Bradley Weisbord, the founder of BSW Bloodstock, said he manages nine horses for clients who employ Servis and all of them will eventually be moving to new trainers.

"It never came into question," he said about moving the horses. "I made a decision without speaking to our owners. This is our business and our reputation is everything. I read the indictment and made the decision myself. The indictment does not read well. There's clearly two sides to every story but I can't see the other side of it. The second I finished reading the indictment the decision was made."

The top horse among that group is Shekky Shebaz, who finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) for owners Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables. Weisbord said the Cape Blanco gelding, along with the other eight horses, will be sent to farms for rest and to give their owners time to decide on new trainers.

At Gulfstream Park, where cards for March 11-13 have been drawn, officials said the 10 horses Navarro has entered for those days, along with Servis' two, would be scratched.

From all indications it is unlikely the three horses Servis entered on Friday's card at Aqueduct would be allowed to race.