The career of one of America’s most successful, colorful and controversial thoroughbred trainers might have come to an end yesterday when the New York Court of Appeals ruled, for the second time since October, that it would not hear Rick Dutrow Jr.’s appeal of a 10-year ban imposed on him by the N.Y. State Racing and Wagering Board in October 2011.
The SRWB handed down the unprecedented penalty based on Dutrow’s long history of violating various rules of racing, including repeated positives of prohibited medications and the discovery of syringes in his barn at Aqueduct loaded with the drug xyzaline.
Dutrow, 53, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Big Brown in 2008, only to see him eased when he bid for the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes, received a stay after the board’s 2011 ruling that allowed him to continue to train. In fact, he sent out 110 winners in New York last year to tie for the training title with David Jacobson, the fourth time he has led all New York trainers in number of winners.
But yesterday’s decision means that Dutrow has exhausted all avenues to appeal in state court. Once the SRWB confirms Dutrow or his attorney, Michael Koenig, has been served the court’s order, the board will issue an effective date for the revocation of his license, which should be in the next few days.
“In almost 20 years of practicing law, I have never been as disappointed or disheartened by a decision,” Koenig said. “I’m just sick to my stomach over it. We are now considering what options exist.”