Another Belcher positive

Trainer Jenny Belcher, the wife of suspended trainer Bob Belcher, has now also received a suspension for a class I positive. The positive was for the drug aminorex, a painkiller that has also been discussed as a drug comparable to amphetamines. It has been off the market to both humans and animals for more than 20 years.



Belcher's positive was posted Monday, Feb. 7. Her attorney, Max Kravitz of Columbus, was seeking an injunction to delay a suspension of her license for one year. Kravitz' position is that the Ohio State Racing Commission (OSRC) previously allowed trainers to request a split sample, and then waited until the findings came back from the lab, before a hearing took place before the judges. The OSRC administrative code, however, calls for a hearing to be held immediately, and the trainer must request that a test be conducted on a split sample within 48 hours of the hearing.



Even if a court grants Belcher an injunction, she will not be racing horses at Northfield Park. Under its policy of excluding anyone who receives a penalty for more than 30 days, Northfield Park will be denying the entry of Belcher-trained or owned horses beginning Thursday, Feb. 10.



"If someone receives a penalty for over 30 days for an infraction that occurs at Northfield, and if it calls into question the integrity of the game…then it's our position that the person should stand down and not participate here," said Tom Alddrich, Northfield's chief operating officer, of the policy. "We have consistently applied this policy and it has been upheld."



In addition to requesting an injunction, Belcher has sued the Ohio State Racing Commission and Northfield Park so she can race horses in the state.

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