Suspended trainer on bail but ordered to 'have no contact with racehorses'

Jorge Navarro, the trainer suspended alongside Jason Servis following charges of doping horses to enhance performance, has been granted permission to leave New York to visit his family in Florida.

However, as part of his amended bail conditions, it was made clear to Navarro that he “shall have no contact whatsoever with racehorses” after he was one of 27 individuals including trainers, veterinary staff and manufacturers named in a shock federal indictment in March.

The judge said: “Mr Navarro is permitted to travel to the Southern District of Florida only for the purposes of meeting with his counsel or visiting his mother or sister, but only with prior notice to and authorisation from Pretrial Services.”

Navarro and Servis, the former trainer of Saudi Cup winner Maximum Security, were arrested on March 9 after allegedly being part of a sophisticated and widespread network of individuals giving horses illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDS).

The two trainers are alleged to have given their horses substances such as “monkey", "red acid" and SGF-1000 to boost performance, block pain and accelerate recovery, while avoiding detection during drug tests and barn inspections.

Maximum Security: winner of the Saudi Cup in February when trained by Jason ServisCredit: Edward Whitaker

During an intercepted call that forms part of the indictment, an owner asks Navarro "is this horse jacked out? Is he on f****** pills or what…", to which Navarro replies: "Everything...he gets everything." In a further call, Navarro is recommended the designer drug SGF-1000 by Servis, who claims: "I've been using it on almost everything."

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia continues to withhold first-place Saudi Cup prize-money from the connections of Maximum Security, who is now trained by Bob Baffert for owners Coolmore and Gary West, while an investigation continues into whether the four-year-old received PEDs.

The next conference on the federal case, which is being conducted by the Southern District of New York, is scheduled for November 19.

Read more

Saudi Cup winner Maximum Security secures victory on first start for Bob Baffert

Saudi Cup prize-money withheld due to criminal charges against winning trainer

Saudi Jockey Club to pay out Saudi Cup runners - but not the winner

Saudi Cup winner Jason Servis among 27 facing doping-related charges in US

Members can read in-depth reports from daily race meetings every evening