Chuckas Sets Record Straight at July PHRC Meeting

In attempt to clear up any lingering misunderstanding over remarks he made concerning rules violations and enforcement actions during both the May and June public meetings of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, Tom Chuckas tried to set the record straight at the July PHRC session July 27.

"I guess there was some confusion in the last meeting (June 29) about what I said, and I want to clarify on the record my comments from the last meeting," said Chuckas, the director of Thoroughbred Horse Racing for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in his opening statement.

At the May session Chuckas said that May backstretch raids at Parx Racing netted a "significant amount of contraband" and "items that have no business on the backside." One month later, he stated at the June 29 PHRC meeting that searches and out-of-competition testing at Parx and Penn National Race Course yielded "very minor" infractions and "nothing of substance."

Yet July 6 it came to light that on June 29 the Pennsylvania board of stewards imposed a 730-day suspension on owner and trainer Ricardo Vega, a member of the Parx Hall of Fame, for possession of illegal substances which included hypodermic needles, loaded syringes, a filled IV bag, and an IV catheter.

During the May 25 meeting of the PHRC, it was revealed that earlier in the month an unannounced widespread raid of the Parx backside, which included searches of barns, tack rooms, grooms' accommodations, veterinary trailers, and other spaces, uncovered a significant number of banned items. Sixty-six out-of-competition tests reportedly were also conducted at that time.

It was learned July 6 that Vega had been summarily suspended by emergency order of the commission May 27. His case is currently on appeal in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

"On May 21 to 22 enforcement action was conducted at Parx Racetrack. On May 25 at the May commission meeting, I reported the results of said enforcement action. What I said at that meeting was accurate and I stand behind my statements about significant contraband and so on," said Chuckas during Tuesday's meeting.

"Since that meeting the staff conducted new and separate enforcement actions, separate and apart from May 21 and 22 at Parx. On Monday May 27 and 28 enforcement action was conducted at Penn National. Multiple vehicle searches were conducted and barn searches, vet truck searches, starting gate searches were conducted," he continued. "There were 21 out-of-competition tests (done). There were limited or minor violations. These violations were handled by the stewards, either with fines, warnings, or suspensions. But they were minor compared to some of the larger issues that were discovered previously at Parx."

Chuckas also told commissioners, "On June 23 and 24 another action was taken at Parx Racetrack. Multiple vehicle searches were once again conducted. So were barn searches, vet vehicle searches, and there were an additional 61 out-of-competition tests conducted. There were limited or minor violations discovered there, like expired medications and so on.

"That was handled through the process with the stewards and appropriate action has been taken. There were three separate and different enforcement actions. So my comments on each one are appropriate to each action. In the future I will be more specific."

Chuckas also stated for the record on Tuesday that separate enforcement action was taken at Presque Isle Downs on July 4 and 5.

"There were vehicle searches conducted, barn searches conducted, out-of-competition tests conducted. As a result, there was expired or compounded meds discovered. They went through the normal process with the stewards, and they conducted hearings on that matter," Chuckas said. "And the last action from the Presque Isle Downs enforcement action was that a trainer was summarily suspended because in an empty vehicle being shipped up it was found to contain needles and syringes unopened in packages. A hearing was handled, and she was given a suspension."

Chuckas concluded his remarks with, "That enforcement action was taken, and I hope I have clarified the record."

The name of the trainer suspended on July 5 was not revealed at the PHRC meeting.

Nevertheless, a search of public records revealed that trainer Cassandra Faye Judd was suspended 60 days at an official hearing conducted July 15 at Presque Isle Downs.

According to the public record, at the July 15 hearing Judd was found, on July 5, to be in possession of multiple hypodermic needles and syringes, and improperly labeled and/or expired medications in violation of state racing commission rules.

In Pennsylvania only licensed veterinarians are authorized to possess syringes, needles, or injectable medications on the racetrack grounds.