Miller Fined $10K, Suspended Seven Days

Santa Anita Park stewards on June 4 issued a $10,000 fine and seven-day suspension to owner/trainer Peter Miller for a violation of CHRB rule #1502, which prohibits program training, over a period between Dec. 23-March 24 at San Luis Training Center. The ruling was made pursuant to a stipulated agreement with the CHRB. 

Last month, the CHRB lodged complaints Miller and trainer Ruben Alvarado, alleging that Miller, while on a hiatus from training that began late last fall, "engaged in behavior consistent with the duties of a trainer." 

The complaints against Miller and Alvarado claimed that Miller's activities included "entering horses, conducting endoscopy exams, giving instruction to riders, examining horses, assigning jockeys, and creating training charts." The complaints further alleged that Alvarado did not have a bank account "independent of Miller, which was required per the stewards' direction."

Miller told BloodHorse prior to the publication of the complaints that this winter and spring he acted as a racing manager/owner's liaison, owned horses, and came out to the barn. Alvarado, who had been his assistant, became the formal trainer of many of his runners.

Miller said he intends for Alvarado to assist him when resumes racing horses this summer in Southern California at Los Alamitos Race Course and Del Mar. He has run one horse at Churchill Downs this year.

The dates of Miller's suspension, June 6-12, precede those meets.

No ruling against Alvarado accompanied Miller's sanctions posted Saturday on the CHRB website.