Court Complaint Filed on Behalf of Hollendorfer and CTT
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Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer at the 2018 Eclipse Awards
A judge may soon decide whether trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will be allowed to run horses at the Del Mar meeting.
A complaint has been filed in San Diego Superior Court by Hollendorfer and the California Thoroughbred Trainers against Del Mar, which to date has not allowed the Hall of Fame trainer to start horses at its meet that opened July 17. Thoroughbred Daily News reported July 16 the filing of the complaint, as did a number of other outlets.
Reached July 17 by BloodHorse, Hollendorfer's attorney Drew Couto confirmed that a complaint had been filed and that a hearing on a possible temporary restraining order is scheduled July 18.
According to a report by The San Diego Union-Tribune, the complaint alleges Del Mar has not given Hollendorfer adequate cause for why he is not being allowed to work at the meet. The complaint stated Hollendorfer, who has raced horses at Del Mar for more than 30 years, was told by track officials June 28 that they would not be able to assign him stalls because of "PR risks and considerations." It said a July 8 meeting between track and CTT officials did not resolve the issue.
Reached Thursday, Del Mar president Josh Rubinstein declined comment on the complaint.
Hollendorfer was ruled off by Santa Anita Park after he had a fourth horse break down in racing or training at the Santa Anita meet, which was marred by the deaths of 30 horses in racing or training from Dec. 26-June 23. One day after that fourth breakdown, Santa Anita owner The Stronach Group released a June 22 statement that Hollendorfer was no longer welcome to train at its facilities.
Attorney Darrell Vienna, who is representing the CTT, told BloodHorse Thursday that the horsemen's group's complaint argues that the track has not followed proper procedure in not allowing a licensed trainer, in this case Hollendorfer, to race horses at the meet. Vienna said in such a case the track has to have the CTT's consent. If the CTT does not give its consent to the track's decision, Vienna said the contract requires a grievance hearing first be conducted involving the track, CTT, and the affected trainer.
If the issue is still unresolved, he said the contract calls for an arbitration hearing with a hearing officer agreed upon by the track and the CTT.