US trainer Jason Servis among those facing new charges in alleged doping case

A group including trainers Jason Servis and Jorge Navarro that was facing federal charges for an alleged widespread doping scheme has been hit with a superseding indictment by the United States Attorney's Office.

The indictment, filed on November 5 by the Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and first reported by Thoroughbred Daily News, includes the original charges, plus additional counts of mail and wire fraud conspiracy against three defendants – Servis and vets Alexander Chan and Kristian Rhein.

Among those named in the original indictment but not in the superseding indictment are Gregory Skelton, Ross Cohen, Nick Surick, Chris Marino, and Henry Argueta, former assistant to Servis.

In March, Saudi Cup-winning trainer Servis was named as one of 19 individuals connected to US racing to be facing charges for manufacturing, distributing, and administering adulterated or misbranded performance-enhancing drugs. Servis and Navarro entered not guilty pleas in April.

The superseding indictment filed on Thursday alleges Servis, Chan and Rhein, along with others "known and unknown, wilfully and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together and with each other commit mail fraud and wire fraud", including the billing of clients for the "undisclosed use of adulterated and misbranded drugs on the owners' horses".

Servis's stable star Maximum Security, who finished first past the post in the 2019 Kentucky Derby before losing the race in the stewards' room, has been switched to Bob Baffert and runs in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday evening.

Maximum Security also won the Saudi Cup while trained by Servis, but the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia will not pay the winner's share of the $20 million prize-money until there is a resolution to the criminal charges in the US against Servis.

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