A trainer who has been banned for 20 months called investigators “mother******* for ruining lives”.
Gerald Butler, who is based FanDuel Racing and Sportsbook in Collinsville, Illinois, has trained more than 500 winners in the US. He was being investigated by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit following a tip-off that he was using illegal drugs on his horses.
The informant claimed Butler would feed his horses the banned substance levothyroxine, whose branded name is Thyro-L, at lunchtime each day from a white container.
During an early morning visit to Butler’s barn HIWU investigators found the substance and a syringe with a needle, which was seized as evidence.
Then while the trainer’s vehicle was being searched he was alleged to have said, “I cannot believe someone has not shot these mother******s for ruining their lives” and “I can’t believe no one has killed these f*****s for doing this s***”, according to an arbitrator’s report.
Butler claimed the statements were not intended as threats and were not made directly to the investigators and the arbitrator the Hon. Berneta Bush accepted that he was “merely expressing his frustration”.
He said he had no idea that Thyro-L was in his feed room claiming it belonged to Tory Hughes who helped look after his horses. She told security she used the substance only on her ponies which were kept at Butler’s barn..
Bush ruled that HIWU had established possession of a banned substance but not met the burden to prove intimidation.
“Trainer Butler was aware that he was bound by the Rules whether or not he read them; he was aware Thyro-L was a banned substance; and Trainer Butler did not make any inquiry of Ms. Hughes regarding whether she was bringing banned substances into his barn when he allowed her to use his space.
“In short, Trainer Butler took no steps to mitigate his objective level of fault.”
Butler received a 20 month suspension, fined £7,800 and order to pay £3,900 towards costs.
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