Trainer Hunter Back to Work at Gulfstream

Trainer Allan Hunter returned to Gulfstream Park Oct. 1, starting one horse at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

On Sept. 20, Gulfstream and its owner The Stronach Group banned Hunter and Marcus Vitali from entering horses at Gulfstream and the six other Stronach-owned tracks in the United States. Gulfstream officials acted after they determined that Vitali, who has not had a trainer's license since April, had been playing a major role in the training of horses running at Gulfstream with Hunter listed as the trainer.

Gulfstream likely will not allow Vitali at the track until next year at the earliest.

The banning of Hunter and Vitali was part of The Stronach Group's effort to prevent so-called "program trainers" from running horses at their tracks. A program trainer situation is one where a trainer is under suspension from regulators or is "ruled off" by a track but effectively continues to train horses through an assistant or another trainer who enters the horses. 

The Stronach Group acted concerning Hunter and Vitali "to help protect the integrity of the sport," said P.J. Campo, general manager of Gulfstream. Campo said Sept. 23 that Gulfstream would consider letting Hunter return if he had sufficient commitments from owners. That day, Campo said several owners of horses that previously were listed as being trained by Hunter had indicated they wanted to stay with him.  

A Gulfstream official said Sept. 30 that Hunter has provided information on payroll, insurance, and other operations that show "the horses are his."

All Hands Up, a first-time starter listed as trained by Hunter, finished off the board in the fourth race at Gulfstream Oct. 1. The ownership of All Hands Up includes Crossed Sabres Farm, which owns graded stakes winners Lochte and Valid as well as numerous other horses Vitali trained for several years.

Information was not readily available on which horses that Vitali, under orders from Gulfstream, has dispersed to specific trainers.

Vitali has not had any horses race under his name since April, when he relinquished his Florida license and moved his string to Maryland. Believing Vitali's decision to surrender his license could be a ploy to avoid sanctions in Florida for medication violations, The Stronach Group denied his entries in Maryland. In September, Vitali reached an agreement with the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering for a 120-day suspension beginning July 1 and expiring Oct. 30, as well as a fine of $7,000. 

Campo said Gulfstream and its sister tracks would then be willing to reconsider Vitali's status.

But Campo noted that in late October, Gulfstream will have allocated all stalls at Gulfstream and at its Palm Meadows training center for its championship meet that will begin Dec. 3. That suggests Vitali might have to look to another track to resume his career.

Vitali had 25 wins in 68 starts at Gulfstream's championship meet this year. He finished third in victories behind Todd Pletcher and Jorge Navarro.