Miller Fined $5K for Third Class 4 Offense in 365 Days

California stewards fined trainer Peter Miller $5,000 Dec. 5 for a third Class 4 drug violation within the past 365 days.

Miller began a hiatus from training Nov. 29. He indicated he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on his overall health.

The Dec. 5 fine follows a positive test for phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly known as bute, found in a post workout test of Mr. Dougie Fresh  Sept. 13 at San Luis Rey Downs. California rules list phenylbutazone as a Class 4 drug with a Penalty Class C. A  California Horse Racing Board complaint dated Sept. 26 noted that a split sample was not requested.

Miller also was assessed a half-point in accordance with the CHRB's multiple medication violations rule. That half-point expires Sept. 13, 2022

On April 10 Miller was fined $500 after Hembree  tested positive for isoflupredone following a victory in the Jan. 1 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park. The presence of isoflupredone, an intra-articular corticosteroid, was confirmed in a split-sample test, according to CHRB documents. It is categorized as Class 4/Penalty C by the CHRB. 

On Sept. 2, Miller received a $1,500 fine and was assessed a half-point in accordance with the CHRB's multiple medication violations rule after grade 1 winner Mo Forza   tested positive for phenylbutazone following a June 19 workout at San Luis Rey.

According to the CHRB guidelines for medication violation penalities, the first offense under the Penalty Class C calls for a minimum fine of $500 to a maximum fine of $1,000 absent mitigating circumstances; a second Class C offense within a 365-day period calls for a minimum fine of $1,000 to a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to a 15-day suspension absent mitigating circumstances; and a third offense within that same time period calls for a minimum fine of $2,500 and up to a 30-day suspension absent mitigating circumstances. Violations in Penalty Class A or Penalty Class B call for stiffer penalties.

Miller ran his last two horses of the year Nov. 28 at Del Mar, winning a maiden special weight with the 2-year-old gelding Handy Dandy . In announcing his step back from racing, Miller said that his longtime assistant Ruben Alvarado would be taking over. Miller also said he would continue to act as an adviser and racing manager for his owners and assistants and stay involved as an owner himself.

For the year, Miller's trainees collected earnings of $7,107,833 and won 114 of 625 races. Since 1987 when Miller took out his trainer's license, his horses have earned $69,267,751 and won 1,338 races. Miller has also saddled three Breeders' Cup winners: dual Turf Sprint (G1T) hero Stormy Liberal , two-time TwinSpires Sprint (G1) champion Roy H , and Turf Sprint heroine Belvoir Bay .