Frank Angst 9y

Mott sanctioned in New York

Horse Racing

The New York State Gaming Commission has sanctioned trainer Bill Mott for a pair of medication overages in a single horse last fall, a decision the Racing Hall of Fame conditioner is appealing.

Mott has been suspended 15 days and fined $1,000 for overages of the drug flunixin (banamine) and furosemide in multiple stakes winner Saratoga Snacks in a Sept. 20 race at Belmont Park. August Dawn Farm's Saratoga Snacks finished last of six in the one-mile allowance race.

Both substances were found at levels seven to 10 times above the maximum permitted in the system on race day. Mott believes the especially high levels of flunixin and furosemide reported in Saratoga Snacks' system indicate a problem with the testing.

Flunixin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and furosemide (commonly called Salix or Lasix) is a diuretic used to prevent, or reduce the severity, of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

"We believe the test results are so out of line, the circumstances so atypical, that there's no validity to this finding," said Mott's attorney, Drew Mollica. "The reading is so off the chart it's incomprehensible. Our reading is that the totality of the circumstances engender the fact that there's some problem. Something's wrong."

Mollica said giving a horse that amount of flunixin would be counterproductive, and he said a New York Racing Association veterinarian administered just 3 cubic centimeters of furosemide, a level well below the 10-cc limit.

Mott's appeal will be heard by a hearing officer. A date for the appeal to begin has not been determined.

Research of records indicate Mott has not been suspended by a regulatory body in more than 10 years.

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