Photo:

Kentucky HBPA / YouTube

Owner-trainer Juan
Muñoz Canó was suspended indefinitely by Kentucky racing authorities after
federal regulators said a horse who suffered a fatal breakdown in an October race
at Churchill Downs failed a drug test.

“The owner-trainer
license issued to Juan Muñoz Canó is hereby suspended pending his appearance
before the board of stewards for his alleged conduct against the best interest
of horse racing,” Kentucky stewards said Thursday in their written ruling. “During
his suspension, Juan Muñoz Canó is denied the
privileges of all facilities under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Horse
Racing and Gaming Corporation. Entry of all horses owned or trained by Mr. Cano
is denied pending transfer to persons acceptable to the stewards.”

The case
against Muñoz Canó was opened Oct. 31 after La Bukana, whom he owned and
trained, suffered a leg injury that led to her being euthanized. Testing
revealed the banned medication clenbuterol was in the 2-year-old filly’s system
at the time of her death, according to the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare
Unit. Muñoz Canó was cited by HIWU on Dec. 20.

KHRGC did not
wait for federal wheels to turn. They voted 3-0 to suspend Muñoz Canó and
supersede federal rules that entitle Muñoz Canó to call for a second split
sample to be tested.

Muñoz Canó’s entry
Friday night at Turfway Park has been scratched, and the same is expected for
his three horses who were entered there for Saturday races. If Louisiana
stewards decide not to recognize the Kentucky penalties, he still would have
one horse on each of the programs Sunday and Thursday at Fair Grounds and two
more next Friday at Delta Downs.