Trainer Angel Quiroz suspended by HISA
Provisional suspension follows trio of albuterol positives
The Biz
September 2, 2026
Trainer Angel Quiroz is facing a provisional suspension from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) after three horses under his care — Bonita Rough, Scootaloo and Tepeyac — returned adverse analytical findings for albuterol, a bronchodilator that is a banned substance.
The developments follow a sequence of events that had already aroused suspicion around Quiroz’s stable.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra charge to you.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
On Aug. 9 at Monmouth Park, two Quiroz-trained horses, The Great Amira and Tepeyac, won consecutive races. The Great Amira paid $37.20 for a $1 win wager, while Tepeyac returned $9.60. Yet the $1 daily double connecting the two paid just $12.80 — an unusually low payoff given the individual prices; those in the know allegedly played heavily at British betting shops, whose handle is not commingled into American pools, leaving Stateside odds unaffected.
The betting anomaly, by itself, does not establish wrongdoing, and the HISA notice does not allege that the Monmouth Park wagering was connected to any rule violation.
The regulatory case against Quiroz centers instead on albuterol, which is classified as a category S3 banned substance unless prescribed and administered under the conditions allowed by the rules. HIWU alleges that Bonita Rough, Scootaloo and Tepeyac all tested positive for the drug.
Bonita Rough’s positive came from a blood sample collected July 10 following a workout at Fair Hill Training Center designed to get the horse off the veterinarians’ list. HIWU subsequently charged Quiroz with an anti-doping rule violation. The notice says Quiroz told investigators that he had nebulized Bonita Rough with albuterol obtained from her veterinarian at Gulfstream, who had prescribed it for another horse and told him he could use it on Bonita Rough if needed.
After being notified of the Bonita Rough finding, Quiroz had two more horses test positive. Scootaloo was sampled Aug. 10 at Saratoga, while Tepeyac was sampled Aug. 13 at Fair Hill. Both samples produced adverse analytical findings for albuterol, and HIWU said its review found no records in the HISA Portal documenting prescriptions, dispensations or treatments for either horse.
The notice says Quiroz is facing three alleged anti-doping violations involving albuterol, as well as a fourth alleged violation for causing Bonita Rough to violate her provisional suspension. HISA also alleges violations of Rule 2221, which governs the administration of controlled medication within a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
Each alleged anti-doping violation involving a banned substance carries a potential two-year period of ineligibility and a $25,000 fine, according to the notice. Quiroz has the right to appeal
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
LATEST NEWS
