Jason DaCosta, a former leading trainer in Jamaica, has been suspended 15 days after his runner Poker Partner tested positive for gabapentin last July in a post-race test at Presque Isle Downs. DaCosta’s suspension and penalties were announced on HISA’s Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit website after the Internal Adjudication Panel finalized the case March 21.
Poker Partner, a now 3-year-old son of Weigelia , failed his post-race test after winning the sixth race at Presque Isle Downs July 18. The Pennsylvania-bred maiden special weight was the career debut for the gelding. Under the imposed HIWU penalty, Poker Partner has been disqualified from his July 18 win and his connections are required to forfeit the $18,000 they collected as purse money for the horse’s first-place finish.
Gabapentin, a Class B controlled medication, is Food and Drug Administration human-approved drug used to prevent seizures in adults and pediatric patients 3 years and older with epilepsy as well as to treat common complications from shingles.
DaCosta was issued the maximum possible sanction for a first Class B controlled medication violation under HISA. In addition to his suspension and the race forfeiture, DaCosta was fined $1,000 and issued two penalty points. DaCosta will begin his suspension March 22.
Since 2009, DaCosta has trained the winners of 469 races from 2,833 starters with accumulated earnings of $8,679,467.
Poker Partner, owned by Calypso Stable, has won two more races, both allowance-level events, this year at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
Leave feedback about this