Reed suspended 21 years for frog juice in New Mexico
Trainer Jeffrey Heath Reed, currently suspended due to medication violations
Quarter horse trainer Jeffrey Heath Reed has been suspended 21 years and fined $23,000 by New Mexico stewards after four horses in his stable tested positive for the Class 1 drug dermorphin in futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs in May. Another trainer, Carlos Sedillo, received a 10-year suspension and $10,000 fine for two positive drug test for dermorphin, widely referred to as frog juice, from the same trials for the Ruidoso Futurity on May 25.
A fifth positive test by a Reed-trained runner was dropped due to unclear reading of the sample label, according to New Mexico Racing Commission director Vince Mares. Reed’s suspension includes a one-year ban because two of the horses in question also tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.
One of the frog-juiced horses trained by Reed, Jess A Zoomin, broke down and was euthanized after winning a trial for the All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Aug. 16.
According to the American Quarter Horse Association Reed was the sixth-ranked trainer by money-won in North America in 2011, when he won the All American Derby with Llano Teller. He currently ranks 41st in the AQHA money standings, with 23 wins from 168 starts.
Sedillo is 16th by money-won nationally in 2012.
Horses trained by Reed and Sedillo won seven of the 25 Ruidoso Futurity trial races on May 25, all of the horses testing positive for dermorphin. An eighth winner, trained by John Bassett, also tested positive for the drug that, in its natural form, is derived from South American tree frogs. It is believed the dermorphin used in horse racing is synthetically manufactured or compounded.
Bassett received a 10-year suspension and $10,000 fine for two dermophin positives from the trials (in addition to a winner, a third-place finisher was found to have the drug in post-race samples).
All of the trainers have the right to appeal to the New Mexico Racing Commission. If upheld, they may seek a temporary restraining order in through the courts.
Trainer Reed received a 21 year suspension, $23,000 fine and loss of Purse for 4 Demorphine violations and 2 Stanzonoal violations. . One of his Demorphine positive was dismissed due to unclear reading of the sample label. Trainer Sedillo received a 10-year suspension, $10,000 fine and loss of purse.
On Friday, the Louisiana State Racing Commission suspended eight Quarter horse and Thoroughbred trainers for dermorphin positive tests. Those suspensions ranged from three to 10 years each.
Following are the Reed and Sedillo horses that tested positive for dermorphin from the May 25 Ruidoso Futurity trials (it wasn’t immediately known which of the charges against Reed was dismissed).
One Classy Eagle, owned by Ted G. Abrams and trained by J. Heath Reed (dermorphin)
D M Red Tide, owned by Bradley Hale, Wade Helton and Bill Moler and trained by J. Heath Reed (dermorphin and stanozolol)
Teller Im Scootan, owned by Wootan Racing and trained by J. Heath Reed (dermorphin)
Jess a Zoomin, owned by Ted G. Abrams and trained by J. Heath Reed (dermorphin)
Joker on Jack, owned by Wade Helton and trained by J. Heath Reed (dermorphin and stanozolol)
Greater Still, owned by Paul Blanchard and trained by Carlos Sedillo (dermorphin)
Ill Stop the World, owned by Ron Hanna and trained by Carlos Sedillo (dermorphin)
