Diodoro Fined $5,000 for Medication Violations

Trainer Robertino Diodoro was fined $5,000 by Canterbury Park stewards and received a stayed 60-day suspension after two medication violations from his horses involving 3-hydroxylidocaine this summer at the Minnesota track.

3-hydroxylidocaine is an active metabolite of lidocaine, a local anesthetic used in equine medicine that is also present in some over-the-counter pain-relief products for humans. It carries a withdrawal guideline of 72 hours before a race to ensure it does not impact racing. 

In a ruling posted Nov. 30 on the Association of Racing Commissioners International website, stewards cited mitigating factors in ordering a stay of the 60-day suspension for 365 days beginning Dec. 1 providing the trainer has no Class 1 or Class 2, Category A or B medication violations within that timeframe. Should one occur, the 60-day suspension would be reinstated.

Under the Association of Racing Commissioners International's Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances and Recommended Penalties Model Rule, lidocaine is a Class 2 violation calling for a Class B penalty—both second-highest on the scales. The guidelines call for a trainer suspension of at least 15 days and a fine of at least $500 absent mitigating circumstances, in addition to the horse facing disqualification.

The ruling stated that the Diodoro-trained Hey Kitten, runner-up from the third race at Canterbury Aug. 26, and Catty Krys, sixth-place finisher in the fifth race there Sept. 1, tested at a level well above the permitted threshold for 3-hydroxylidocaine. They were disqualified.

The stewards ruled they considered the second violation occurred before the first violation was reported and became known by the trainer. They then treated the two violations as one, which they wrote in their ruling is standard practice.

These tests are part of a group of 3-hydroxylidocaine positives this year. Over the summer, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was given a 15-day suspension after his trainees Charlatan and Gamine tested positive for it after winning races May 2 at Oaklawn Park—test results Baffert's attorney said were from exposure from one of the trainer's employees wearing a pain patch. They were also disqualified.

Diodoro, 47, has become one of the leading trainers in the U.S. after shifting his stable from his native Canada. Operating with multiple strings of runners, he is fourth by wins in North America this year, having won 301 races through Nov. 30 from 1,072 starters with earnings of more than $5.9 million.

He topped the Oaklawn Park standings earlier this year and is the trainer of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prospect Keepmeinmind, recent winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. 

Diodoro also was fined earlier this year for a Dexamethasone positive (Class 4, Penalty C) by Will Rogers Downs and Oaklawn stewards for Class 4 substances detected in post-race samples and a violation of the absolute insurer rule.