Two trainers who faced disciplinary action under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) appear to have carried their controversies with them after relocating to West Virginia. One trainer was suspended for clenbuterol violations, while the other was penalized for working with a previously suspended individual. Despite these sanctions, both have continued operating in the state, raising questions about oversight gaps in regions not governed by HISA.
West Virginia’s thoroughbred racing industry currently falls outside HISA’s jurisdiction due to ongoing legal challenges regarding the organization’s constitutionality. This loophole has effectively provided a safe haven for individuals barred elsewhere. For example, on May 23, 2025, trainer Juan Raul faced an 18-month suspension and fined $12,500 by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), the enforcement arm of HISA. Rather than step away from the sport, Aguirre appeared to shift his operations to West Virginia, where HISA rules do not apply.
Aguirre’s suspension was linked to his employment of Francisco Ramos between June and September 2024. Ramos was provisionally suspended during that time following multiple out-of-competition clenbuterol positives. HIWU later sanctioned Ramos with a lengthy period of ineligibility running through 2036.
Before his suspension, Aguirre had been competing primarily at Mahoning Valley in Ohio, which is under HISA oversight. Once his penalties took effect, he began entering horses at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia. His racing record shows increased activity: from just 20 starters in 2023, Aguirre saddled 100 in 2024, with four winners. In 2025, he has started 49 runners so far, producing one victory.
One of the horses at the center of this controversy is Scat Shack, a 7-year-old gelding previously trained by Ramos. Scat Shack was among six horses that tested positive for clenbuterol under Ramos’ care. That violation led to the horse being barred from competition at HISA-regulated tracks for 14 months, through July 8, 2026. Despite the restriction, Scat Shack was transferred to Aguirre’s barn and began racing at Mountaineer in mid-2024.
On June 10, 2025, Scat Shack finished third in a race at Mountaineer, but post-race testing revealed another clenbuterol positive. In response, the West Virginia Racing Commission issued Aguirre a 15-day suspension (July 17–Aug. 1) and a $500 fine. The ruling classified it as his first medication offense within a 365-day window, carrying a Class B penalty under state rules. Notably, West Virginia treats clenbuterol as a Class 3 drug with lesser consequences, whereas HISA imposes far stricter standards, banning the drug outright and assigning Ramos a two-year suspension for each positive test.
Despite the violation, Scat Shack has not been barred from competition in West Virginia. Instead, the horse was simply reassigned back to Ramos, who is now listed as the trainer for a July 20 race at Mountaineer. Another horse once handled by Aguirre, Future Flay, is also entered under Ramos’ name, marking his first starters since May 29, 2024.
The HIWU records indicate that besides Scat Shack, Ramos’ clenbuterol positives involved five other horses: Cindy’s Storm, Jim’s River Runner, Tequila Flats, Total Smokeshow, and You’re A Dandy. Of these, Cindy’s Storm, Total Smokeshow, and Tequila Flats have all competed in West Virginia this year with Aguirre listed as trainer, underscoring how easily suspended individuals can continue operating when outside HISA’s reach.
This ongoing pattern highlights a troubling reality: while HISA aims to standardize integrity and safety across American horse racing, its lack of jurisdiction in certain states allows sanctioned trainers to continue business as usual. The situation in West Virginia serves as a case study of how differing regulatory environments can undermine the very reforms designed to protect the sport.
