Trainer Fights Ban After Horse's Meth Test

Trainer Michael Joiner faced an immediate suspension from the New Mexico Racing Commission after his horse, Js On Fire, tested positive for methamphetamine. The horse finished second in a major race on October 19, with trace amounts of the drug detected in its system approximately two weeks later. Joiner's attorney asserted the meth presence was negligible and potentially due to environmental contamination at the racetrack.

Following the suspension, which would have prevented him from racing nationwide, Joiner appealed. On January 1, 2026, a state district judge in Albuquerque granted an emergency temporary restraining order. This decision allows Joiner to continue his training activities until the New Mexico Racing Commission conducts its disciplinary hearing, a process that could take up to a year.

Joiner has denied any wrongdoing, suggesting the horse was exposed to the drug through environmental contamination at the Downs of Albuquerque. The judge's ruling stated that Joiner's suspension posed an 'irreparable injury or harm' and that his challenge had a 'substantial likelihood' of success. The commission awaits a second test sample to determine the final outcome of Joiner's license.