HIWU imposes four-year ban on Farro for cobalt salts

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit has banned trainer Patricia Farro for four years after two of her horses tested positive for cobalt salts. Pennsylvania-based Farro, who has worked as a trainer for 30 years, has been serving a suspension since then, during which the horses were removed from her stable and given to other trainers.

Cobalt salts fall into the erythropoiesis category and are listed as S2 on the HISA banned substances list. The substance is believed to stimulate red blood cell production, thereby increasing performance.

The first Farro trainee to fail a post-race test was Exit who won a claiming race on February 6 Parx Race. On the same route on 28 February Knockout victory was found to have cobalt salts in his system after winning a maiden claiming contest. Both runners were disqualified and their combined prize money of $33,600 was forfeited; the horses are each ineligible for a period of six months from the date of the failed post-race test. In addition, Farro was fined $50,000 by the HIWU.

Farro is the third Parx Racing trainer to be suspended under HIWU rules for cobalt salts. Most recently, Monte Gelrod was suspended for 18 months and fined $12,500 when his protégé Ratified failed a post-race test for cobalt salts at Parx on February 19, and trainer Mario A. Dominguez is currently serving a two-year suspension after testing positive in a race on May 24, 2023.

Farro, the trainer of more than 1,900 winners, was inducted into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame in 2021.

It remains unknown whether Farro will appeal the HIWU’s final decision.