Trainer Peter Miller has been suspended by California Horse Racing Board stewards for violating the CHRB's rule prohibiting program training.

© Zoe Metz

By Paulick Report Staff

LEXINGTON, KY–JUNE 5, 2022–Trainer Peter Miller has been suspended seven days and fined $10,000 by California Horse Racing Board stewards for violating the CHRB's rule prohibiting program training.

The ruling, issued on Saturday and resulting from a stipulated agreement and mutual release with the CHRB, said Miller violated Rule No. 1502 during a period from Dec. 23, 2021 through March 24, 2022, when he said he was taking a hiatus from training while holding an owner's and stable agent's license.

Program training involves someone behind the scenes making key decisions for a stable while having someone else listed on the official program as the trainer of record.

Miller stepped away from active training last November, citing personal reasons, and transferred most of his stable to former assistant Ruben Alvarado. He took what he called a voluntary hiatus after having five horses in his stable die and receiving three sanctions for phenylbutazone overages.

A May 23 complaint against Miller and Alvarado said that Miller “has engaged in behavior consistent with the duties of a trainer at the San Luis Rey training center … including entering horses, conducting endoscopy exams, giving instruction to riders, examining horses, consulting with veterinarians, controlling and accessing bank accounts purported to belong to Ruben Alvarado Racing Stables, assigning jockeys and creating training charts.”

There was no ruling issued against Alvardo. According to Daily Racing Form, a hearing on his complaint will be held in July.

Miller had one starter race in his name in 2022, Respect the Code, who finished eighth in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 29. He said at the time that he would be returning to training in Southern California for the upcoming Los Alamitos and Del Mar meets and planned to race at Santa Anita following the conclusion of those meets.

The suspension, which runs from June 6 through June 12, precludes Miller from having access to all premises under CHRB jurisdiction. Regulatory rulings of this type are reciprocated in other racing states.

Reprinted courtesy PaulickReport.com.