Vazquez Suspension Honored in NY After PA Ruling

On July 17, trainer Juan C. Vazquez had a busy day at Saratoga Race Course with three horses that raced, including I'll Go All In, who finished 11th in the last race on the card. A day later, state regulators in New York made it official that the race would be Vazquez's last in the state until 2025. The decision for New York to abide by reciprocity came after owner/trainer Vazquez was suspended by Pennsylvania regulators for an incident earlier this year that led to a 5-year-old mare, Shining Colors, having to be euthanized after being shipped from Belmont Park to Parx Racing. Officials said the horse had a chronic condition and should not have been shipped, calling Vasquez's conduct in the matter "grossly negligent, cruel, and abusive." He is banned in Pennsylvania through Jan. 26, 2025, though that ruling is under appeal, according to Paulick Report. The suspension officially started in Pennsylvania July 18, the same day the New York Gaming Commission announced Vazquez would not be permitted to be involved in any "horse racing activity" on any New York track, including those run by the New York Racing Association and at Finger Lakes. New York officials, in a brief written statement, pointed to state law that license denials, suspensions, and revocations imposed in "pertinent racing and gambling authorities of other jurisdictions," including those in the United States and Canada, "shall be recognized and enforced" in New York. Vazquez started six horses in six races in the first four days of the summer meet at Saratoga. One ran third, and the others were unplaced. Since 2006, he had 4,503 starts as a trainer and almost $17.9 million in earnings, according to Equibase. He has also had a number of equine drug violations leveled against him over the years. On a New York Gaming Commission database, an entry notes Vazquez's suspension in New York will last 924 days.