The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) slapped $50,000 in fines to three casinos and racing establishments for violating state laws.

Prairie Meadows fined

The IRGC met at the race track located close to Des Moines last week for its February meeting. It fined Prairie Meadows Casino Racetrack Hotel $20,000 for two incidents of employees making errors during a 2019 meeting.

According to the Commission, a horse named Taruca participated in a claiming race and eventually won it by eight lengths. He was claimed for $16,000 purchase price soon after the race was over. However, the Iowa Board of Stewards notified the Commission that the horse’s Coggins test certificate had expired before the race. The Coggins test checks a horse’s blood for the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus.

A horse must have a Coggins certificate showing negative test results within 12 months preceding the date of the race. As a result, the Board of Stewards disqualified Taruca from the race, and the claim became void. An administrative law judge later overturned the claim decision. An employee who was responsible for checking Coggins test records was first suspended by Prairie Meadows. He was later dismissed.

Another error from Prairie Meadows

On August 29, 2019, Jessica Glitters’ trainer Robert Roe called the Prairie Meadows office to seek entry for a 3-year-old filly in Iowa Breeders’ Oaks Stakes race. The staff mishandled his phone entry because of which the horse couldn’t participate in the race on September 2. Roe asked the stewards to redraw the race, but they didn’t, after which he appealed to the IRGC.

The Commission found it to be a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for the filly and allowed it to race. Interestingly, the horse started from the outside gate and finished last in the $102,500 purse event. On the other hand, Jessica Glitters has raced 26 times in the last month, winning two races, finishing second in four races, and coming in third in 2 races.

Casinos fined for breaking the rules related to minors

The remaining $30,000 in fines came from two casinos, which allowed minors to enter the gaming floor. The first casino is Isle of Capri Bettendorf which was fined $10,000. The staff rebuffed the minor twice when he tried to enter the gaming area but allowed entry when the mother intervened. The woman then tried to extort the casino for allowing access to the game floor.

The second casino ordered to pay a fine is the Lakeside Hotel and Casino. The establishment has to pay a $20,000 fine.