Complaint Alleges Miller Continued Training Duties

The California Horse Racing Board lodged complaints May 23 against Peter Miller and Ruben Alvarado, alleging that Miller, while on a hiatus that began late last fall, "engaged in behavior consistent with the duties of a trainer at the San Luis Rey Training Center with horses in the barn of trainer Ruben Alvarado" from Dec. 23–March 24.

The complaints noted a hearing for Miller is scheduled June 20 at Los Alamitos Race Course, and one for Alvarado is planned July 18.

In an interview with BloodHorse last week, prior to the complaints being posted on the CHRB website, Miller said that during his break from training he acted as a racing manager/owner's liaison, owned horses, and still came out to the barn. Alvarado, who had been his assistant, became the formal trainer of many of his runners.

Miller intends for Alvarado, who Miller said is dealing with some health issues, to again become his assistant when Miller resumes racing horses this summer in Southern California at Los Alamitos Race Course and Del Mar. Miller’s first starter of 2022, Gary Barber’s Respect the Code , ran sixth in an allowance race at Churchill Downs May 29.

Unlike a stewards' ruling, a complaint is an alleged violation that has not been adjudicated. 

The complaints against Miller and Alvarado claim that Miller’s activities at San Luis Rey Training Center included "entering horses, conducting endoscopy exams, giving instruction to riders, examining horses, assigning jockeys, and creating training charts." Additionally, the complaints allege that Alvarado did not have a bank account "independent of Miller, which was required per the stewards’ direction.”

Miller, a five-time Breeders' Cup-winning trainer, said last week he left training in the fall due to burnout.