The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit, the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, has sanctioned trainer Peter Miller as a result of his runner, Forgiving Spirit, failing a postrace test after an Aug. 10 race at Del Mar.
Forgiving Spirit tested positive for tramadol, an analgesic drug. Miller, who believes the positive was caused by contamination from one of his workers, was suspended for 15 days beginning Feb. 7, fined $2,500, and assigned two penalty points.
Miller said after being informed of the failed drug test, he quickly determined that the worker who had been applying tongue ties to his horses had been taking tramadol, a common prescribed painkiller for humans.
"This was an obvious environmental contamination," Miller said. "I'd never heard of tramadol until I received the email informing me of the positive."
Miller said in researching tramadol, he noticed that in March 2024 trainer Rusty Arnold had a horse (Figgy, a then 2-year-old filly) also test positive for a tramadol metabolite, a finding Arnold also believed was an environmental contamination.
While frustrated, Miller said after weighing his options, he decided to not further appeal the finding.
As part of the sanctions, Forgiving Spirit was disqualified from his third-place finish in the Aug. 10 claiming race at Del Mar—costing owners Gem and Tom Kagele $5,640 in purse money.
Interestingly, Forgiving Spirit was claimed for $28,000 out of that race by trainer Sean Williams for owner Jerry Caroom. After one off-the-board finish for his new connections, Forgiving Spirit was offered in the 2024 Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale, where Kagele bought him for $24,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment.
Since that purchase, the now 6-year-old Shaman Ghost gelding has raced four times for Kagele and Miller, including a 3 1/2-length victory in his 2025 debut in a Jan. 29 claiming race at Turfway Park.
"The owner really likes the horse so he bought him back at the digital sale," Miller said.
The suspension is scheduled Feb. 7-22. Miller had already entered a total of eight horses Feb. 7-9 at Oaklawn Park and Santa Anita Park. By rule, those horses will be allowed to race.
