Trainer Withdraws KY License Bid Amidst Review

Trainer Juan Vazquez withdrew his application for a Kentucky racing license on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The license review committee had indicated that a vote on his application would almost certainly result in denial. Vazquez has a substantial record of past violations, with over 100 entries in a racing database dating back to 2006. He was also previously banned from properties at Delaware Park and Laurel Park in 2015.

Vazquez's most recent suspension by Pennsylvania stewards began on July 7, 2022, and was set to last until January 26, 2025. This suspension was due to actions stewards deemed "grossly negligent, cruel, and abusive" after he allegedly shipped a horse with laminitis from New York to Pennsylvania. He informed the committee that he prefers not to race in Pennsylvania.

Currently, Vazquez holds trainer licenses in West Virginia and Florida. He has primarily raced horses at West Virginia's Mountaineer Park in 2025 and 2026, where he is among the leading trainers. He stated he has 52 horses in training in West Virginia. He also mentioned spending time in Argentina with his ill father over the winter and breaking horses in Kentucky.

When questioned about not racing at Charles Town, also in West Virginia, Vazquez cited restrictions from the track owner, who also owns Penn National in Pennsylvania. Following a break for deliberation, the committee offered Vazquez the option to withdraw his application, which he accepted. The committee also approved Samuel Valdivia's license application, voted against Joel Huitron's, and deferred Pat Valenzuela's.