By: David Grening
Trainer Jimmy Iselin is to begin serving a 30-day suspension Wednesday following a denial of his appeal by the New York Gaming Commission of a medication positive from 2016.
Rahy’s Bandit, who won the fourth race at Belmont Park on June 12, 2016, was found to have the muscle relaxant methocarbamol, commonly known as Robaxin, in her system. Rahy’s Bandit was disqualified from first-place in the $16,000-claiming event, the first-place purse of $16,800 was forfeited, and she was ordered unplaced in the order of finish.
It was discovered that the drug was not given to Rahy’s Bandit within the permitted timeframe of Rahy’s Bandit’s race.
Iselin claims that he instructed veterinarians Kristian Rhein and Alex Chan not to administer Robaxin to Rahy’s Bandit, and that they ignored him.
“They said it passed the testing, giving it within 48 hours of a race,” Iselin said. “I said no, not to do it. We don’t carry Robaxin in our barn. I found out after the positive that they did give it and they redacted it from the bill.”
Iselin, who also has to pay a $1,500 fine, said he plans on taking legal action against Rhein and Chan.
Iselin, who trained the graded-stakes-placed runner and successful sire Crafty Prospector in the 1980s and the New York-bred stakes winner Willet, is down to just three horses these days. Horses from his barn that run between now and Nov. 9, when the suspension expires, will run in the name of his assistant Susan Ouellette.
