Ward Suspended 15 Days, Fined $2,000 for Drug Positive

Kentucky-based trainer Wesley Ward was suspended 15 days and fined $2,000 after the New Jersey Racing Commission ruled a horse under his care, Insanity It Seems , tested positive for the prohibited substances naproxen and metformin July 15, 2022, at Monmouth Park. The suspension took effect June 23 and will conclude July 7.

The then-juvenile gelding, a homebred owned by Ward, made his first appearance on the track in a five-furlong turf maiden special weight race, where he beat an eight-horse field by an impressive 2 1/4 lengths. A post-race blood and urine sample analysis revealed the prohibited drugs.

Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat fever and pain, and is commonly known by the over-the-counter brand Aleve for use in humans. It is listed as a Class 4/Penalty Class C drug by the ARCI. When given to equines, naproxen (trade name Equiproxen and Naprosyn) can be used to treat lameness, musculoskeletal pain from soft tissue injury, muscle soreness, and bone and joint problems.

Metformin, a Class 2/Penalty Class B drug under the ARCI classification, is used to treat type 2 diabetes in humans. In equines, it can be used to combat the effects of equine metabolic syndrome. It has been called "exercise in a tablet" by some vets and may be prescribed for horses that cannot exercise due to laminitis or have very high insulin levels.

"What are you going to do? Financially it's cost me a great sum already. Rules are rules, and however it got there, it got there," Ward told BloodHorse. "The scientist Dr. Sams, who testified, did so wonderfully. If you look at where I was sanctioned a half (multiple medication violation) point, the stewards recognized the metformin level was so low they only sanctioned me for the naproxen."

The NJRC ruling does not disclose the level found of either the naproxen or metformin.

"Moving forward, we will continue to try and do the best that we can, but there are situations that are out of my control," Ward said. "When you ship into another barn and out of my friend's stall, who knows what goes in? You can't control these things. As the trainer, I was liable. I don't want to spend any more money fighting something and have it hanging over my head when you can move forward."

An evidentiary hearing Feb. 28 was conducted before the Monmouth Park board of stewards.

Insanity It Seems will be disqualified from the race, and the winner's $33,000 share of the purse will be redistributed with Superr Ron  the newly declared winner, Bernardo's Legacy  second, and Networking  third.

In 2021 Ward's Kentucky Juvenile Stakes winner Averly Jane  tested positive for metformin April 28, 2021, at Churchill Downs after winning that race by 3 1/4 lengths and eventually was disqualified. He served a 15-day suspension for that infraction.