Handal Suspended 22 Days for Dexamethasone Positives

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit, the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, has issued trainer Raymond Handal a 22-day suspension for three different dexamethasone positives.

The three positives were found in the postrace drug tests at Aqueduct Racetrack for the Handal trainees Valtellina and Makeyourmoment. Valtellina, a Complexity   filly, tested positive after winning state-bred allowance optional claiming races April 10 and May 16, while Makeyourmoment, a Demarchelier   gelding, tested positive for dexamethasone after finishing fifth in a maiden claiming race April 23. Both horses have been disqualified from their races and their earnings from the purses forfeited.

Dexamethasone, commonly referred to in the barn as "dex," is a Class C controlled substance, which means the drug is permitted for treatment but must be out of the horse's system by a specific time before a race. The Food and Drug Administration-approved corticosteroid is often used to manage inflammation or allergic reactions, such as hives.

Handal told BloodHorse the dexamethasone positives derived from a topical mistakenly administered by a groom. 

Additionally, Handal was fined $3,500. He will begin to serve his suspension Sept. 4.