Derby-winning training pleads guilty in drug scandal

Horseracingnation.com reports that Thoroughbred trainer pleaded guilty Friday (Dec. 9) to one felony count and one misdemeanor count for his role in a high-profile horse-doping scandal that prompted the arrests of more than two dozen individuals in March of 2020.

Servis, who was scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 9, changed his plea to guilty before Judge Mary Kay Vykocil of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The felony count was related to drug misbranding and the misdemeanor count related to the use and distribution of SGF-1000. The felony misbranding was with a drug that is considered similar to, but stronger than, clenbuterol.

Other counts against Servis were dismissed, including one that would have led to significantly longer prison time.

Servis is the last of 27 defendants in the doping scandal to have his case brought to a verdict. He faces up to four years in prison with sentencing scheduled for May 8, 2023. Servis also faces restitution of approximately $600,000 and forfeiture of $111,000.

Another high-profile defendant in the case, trainer Jorge Navarro, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit drug adulteration or misbranding. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Servis is best known as the trainer of Maximum Security, disqualified winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Maximum Security went on to earn champion 3-year-old male honors that year following Grade 1 wins Florida Derby, Haskell and Cigar Mile.

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From Horseracingnation.com