WOODBINE APPEALS DR. BRIAN VAN AREM FINE
WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP has filed a Notice of Appeal to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission in regards to a fine levied to veterinarian Dr. Brian Van Arem (see original ruling below)
DR. VAN AREM and trainer NORM KNIGHT were each fined for the shock-wave treatment of the horses BRIGHTER IDEAS and HALO LAELIA as well as CONSTANTINO while inside of the four-day, 96 hour regulation of such treatment. Brighter Ideas and Halo Laelia were shock-waved on July 30 and were already in the entries for Aug. 1, Wednesday evening (entered on the Friday, July 27. They were scratched. Constantino was in the entries on Aug. 3 and was scratched.
These treatments were reported by Woodbine security who witnessed the procedures.
McKnight was fined $5,000 and in his ruling stated that “it was the responsibility of the veterinarian to know what the rules are and any consultation regarding treatments is left to the veterinarian”.
On Oct. 17, WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, which does have the ability to issue a trespassing notice to its property, filed a Notice of Appeal for the Dr. Van Arem ruling, seeking a harsher penalty from the AGCO.
Citing that it is committed to “providing a racing product which has a high assurance of integrity”, Woodbine, in the Notice states that the “misconduct of Dr. Van Arem at Woodbine racetrack has brought the conduct of racing at Woodbine into disrepute” and that “Trainers are considering moving to other racetracks.”
Read the original the McKnight and Dr. Van Arem ruling:
2018 TB 10978, MCKNIGHT, Norman
2018 TB 10951, VAN AREM, Brian
NOTICE OF APPEAL:
Notice of Appeal – Scanned Copy – October 17 2018
Woodbine is represented by Deepshihka Dutt who would not comment on the case. The affidavit by Woodbine was submitted by Jonathan Zammit, vice present of racing at Woodbine.
