Arraignments for Navarro, Servis Adjourned

The arraignments of trainers Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis scheduled for March 23 in New York federal court have been adjourned with no new date set, according to a representative of the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York.

The adjournment follows orders by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a shutdown in the state beginning March 22 at 8 p.m. ET due to the spread of COVID-19.

Navarro and Servis are among 19 defendants in United States vs. Jorge Navarro, et al., a case stemming from the March 9 indictments of the two trainers and 25 others on four separate counts of conspiracies to manufacture, distribute, and administer adulterated or misbranded drugs that were administered to racehorses.

Navarro is a seven-time leading trainer at Monmouth Park, and Servis is best known for training 2019 3-year-old champion male Maximum Security, who won the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 29 and was disqualified from first to 17th for bumping in last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

In announcing the March 9 indictments, FBI assistant director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: "These men allegedly saw the $100 billion global horse racing industry as their way to get rich at the expense of the animals that were doing all the hard work. Our investigation reveals the cruelty and inhumane treatment these horses suffered, all to win a race. The FBI New York Joint Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force worked along with our law enforcement partners at the New York State Police, FDA, and DEA to stop this ring of criminals from abusing helpless animals simply so they could cheat the odds and rake in millions of dollars."