When are bettors going to start getting refunds from incidents like this? Raymond Handal, a New York-based thoroughbred trainer, received a 22-day suspension from the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) for three separate dexamethasone positive drug tests involving his horses. The violations were detected after three different races over the course of more than a month.
Valtellina tested positive for dexamethasone after winning at Aqueduct on April 10, 2025. Makeyourmoment tested positive after finishing fifth at Aqueduct on April 23, 2025. Then Valtellina won again at Belmont at the Big Z on May 16 and subsequently tested positive for dexamethasone again!
According to reports, Handal explained that a groom had mistakenly used a topical medication containing dexamethasone. Handal’s admission to the violations resolved the case, avoiding the need for a contested hearing. HIWU, the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, issued the penalties as part of its oversight of medication compliance in horse racing.
Dexamethasone is a synthetic corticosteroid commonly used in equine medicine, including for race horses, primarily for its potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. This medication mimics the effects of cortisol, a natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands, but is significantly more powerful than the body’s natural cortisol. The medication’s powerful anti-inflammatory effects can improve respiratory function, enhance performance, and maintain the overall health of equine athletes.
Trainers may risk giving their horses Dexamethasone because it becomes undetectable in as little as 48 hours while its therapeutic effects persist much longer than the drug’s presence in the bloodstream.
Handal’s suspension lasts from September 4 to September 25. The 22-day suspension includes a 7-day suspension from September 4-10, followed by a 15-day suspension from September 11-25. Additionally, the total fines amount to only $3500, which is just a tiny fraction of the estimated $41,000 they earned in purses from the cheated finishes. They, of course, must forfeit the purses they earned, but they will get to keep the roughly $1,000 in interest, I presume, they could have earned on those purses. They also incur HISA penalty points.
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In-Article Image Credits
Five dexamethasone tablets, 4mg each via Wikimedia Commons by Mx. Granger with usage type - Creative Commons LicenseFeatured Image Credit
Five dexamethasone tablets, 4mg each via Wikimedia Commons by Mx. Granger with usage type - Creative Commons License
