Media Source: Blood Horse
Stay from N.Y. court halted implementation of three-year suspension, $50K fine.
Linda Rice will be able to continue to train and operate her New York-based racing stable after receiving a temporary retraining order June 9 in Schenectady Superior Court.
The stay will allow Rice to continue training until all of her legal options are exhausted or her attorneys reach a settlement with the New York State Gaming Commission over a three-year suspension and $50,000 fine that went into effect June 7.
After a five-month hearing earlier this year, state regulators in New York had revoked Rice's license for her role in what officials say was a "corrupt" scheme to gain an edge with her horses from 2011-15 by obtaining the names of entries in races from racing office employees before the cards became final.
Prior to filing the stay, Rice's attorney, Andrew Turro, said, "We are very troubled by the commission's determination with respect to the racing office information issue because it is incorrect in a number of material respects."
Rice has two horses entered on the June 10 card at
Belmont Park, three June 11, and five June 12.
"NYRA will comply with the temporary restraining order while determining additional options that may be available," said the organization's senior director of communications Pat McKenna.
Since beginning training in 1987, Rice has 2,112 wins and earnings of $86.1 million—most by a North American female trainer. Her earnings rank 31st all-time among all trainers.
