Rene Allard arrested in doping scheme

Thoroughbred Daily News reporter Bill Finley has reported that harness racing trainer Rene Allard has joined the long list of those indicted for their role in a massive horse doping scheme that has rocked Thoroughbred and harness racing. The number of individuals who are known to have been involved is now 29.

Allard was not among the original list of names of those who were indicted that was released Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Allard is second in the current trainer’s standings at Yonkers Raceway, behind only Richard Banca, who has also been indicted as part of the doping probe undertaken by the FBI.

According to a source, Allard was arrested earlier this week while vacationing in Las Vegas. He is being charged with “misbranding” drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

During its investigation of Allard and others, the FBI intercepted a disturbing phone conversation between Ross Cohen and Louis Grasso, who were among those indicted Monday, discussing the deaths of horses who were given illegal drugs by Allard. It reads (exactly):

Cohen: What’s going on with the Allard death camp?
Grasso: (Laughter) well I didn’t get anymore emergency calls yesterday so I am assuming…
Cohen: Assuming the number stopped at 7?
Grasso: Well yeah
Cohen” How many died?
Grasso: Three
Cohen. Jeez. What were you thinking?
Grasso: Three or two maybe.
The pair continue to discuss the situation before wrapping up:
Grasso: …One of them just died on the table they just cut him open and poof it died.
Cohen: Holy f–k did they do an autopsy?
Grasso: Their heart rate was like triple they were breathing real heavy their membranes were going f-ing purple.

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