Callaghan Suspended for Shock Wave Therapy Violation

Santa Anita Park stewards issued trainer Simon Callaghan a 15-day suspension and fined him $5,000 Oct. 17 for violating extracorporeal shock wave therapy policy. Stewards cited him for treating the horse Federal Bureau this spring with three treatments "inside thirty days prior to a workout."

The dates of his suspension are scheduled from Nov. 14-28, though Callaghan has appealed, said his attorney, Darrell Vienna. An application for a stay was denied, according to the California Horse Racing Board.

ESWT, which uses high-pressure sonic waves, is used therapeutically in humans and equines to speed healing by increasing blood flow to a treated area. Treatments usually are delivered multiple times over a series of weeks. But critics of the therapy say it has analgesic effects, potentially putting recently treated horses at risk in high-speed exercise such as racing or breezing.

In early 2020 the CHRB adopted a policy that extended the spacing from 10 days to 30 days before a horse can resume breezing or racing after shock wave treatment.

According to stewards minutes from earlier this year, Federal Bureau completed a four-furlong workout May 22, but before the breeze, "Callaghan's attending veterinarian Vince Baker performed three ESWT treatments on Federal Bureau May 5, 12, and 19, 2021."

"The basis for the appeal is the belief that the stewards mistakenly interpreted the regulation, and overturning that decision is in the best interest of the state, and racing in California," Vienna said.

He declined to comment further while the decision is under appeal.

Federal Bureau is an unraced 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro  . Equibase does not list him with a recent workout.

Bred in Kentucky and out of the grade-2 winning mare Keen Pauline , Federal Bureau was a $1.2 million purchase by Ben McElroy, agent for Qatar Racing, at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Gainesway, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, sold him. 

Callaghan nominated the unraced 3-year-old to this year's Triple Crown with Qatar Racing and Stonestreet Stables listed as owners.