The news only got worse over the last week for those owners, trainers and drivers placed on the exclusion list by the Meadowlands, Vernon and Tioga Downs as of December 1. DRF Harness learned that the ban will extend to most Hambletonian Society administered stakes at those facilities and not just those run by the tracks. According to prominent Standardbred owner Howard Taylor, one of 33 names mentioned in a November 3 release, and corroborated by Hambletonian Society President John Campbell, Taylor's horses will be prohibited from entering any races at the Jeff Gural-operated tracks except the Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian Maturity. Gural, who serves as Meadowlands President and CEO, additionally confirmed that the entire excluded group will be treated similarly. "As of right now," said Campbell when asked if Taylor specifically is prohibited from entering a horse in the Breeders Crown in 2024, scheduled for October 18/19 (eliminations) and 25/26 (finals). "It is a private property decision that Jeff Gural has made." An exception has always been carved out for track-banned individuals looking to compete in the Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian Maturity, but the Breeders Crown seems to be a new addition to the list. Back in 2016, Rene Allard wasn't permitted to compete in overnight racing but did make one appearance at the Meadowlands that year with Yagonnakissmeornot in the Breeders Crown Mare Pace elimination. Of course in 2021 the now-convicted trainer won the Hambletonian Oaks elimination and final with When Dovescry, his only starts at the Meadowlands that year. "It's immaterial," said Campbell when asked if there has been a change in policy. "Outside of the Hambletonian races it has always been up to Jeff [Gural]. At the end of the conditions it says that we race under the rules of the USTA, Commissions and Tracks, so if the track rules change we have to race under them regardless of which host track we are racing at." Taylor strongly disagreed with the decision by the Hambletonian Society to go along with the policy laid down by the Gural-operated tracks. "The Breeders Crown is a different animal. [The Meadowlands] doesn't own those races and should not have control over them," said Taylor, who thought officials at the Hambletonian Society could've "fought harder" for his right to race in the Breeders Crown and other Hambletonian Society-run events at the Gural-operated tracks. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter As it stands, those on the exclusion list do have an opportunity to change their fates by meeting with Gural and his team. Owner/trainer Jennifer Bongiorno took that route and has been cleared to race according to Gural. "I met with Jenn Bongiorno and [we are] allowing her to race [starting] April 1," said Gural via email. "Each case is separate but they would have to meet with us to be allowed to race in any stakes, including the Breeders Crown." Bongiorno's situation differs from Taylor's in that she was flagged for "class 4" substances (Ethamsylate) while the 64-year-old owner, including others, are listed under BB3 (cited as EPO) or TB-7 (listed as Thymosyn (sp)) in the release from the track. The entire list was gathered from evidence in a now-concluded U.S. District Court (Southern New York) proceeding of United States v. Navarro. Those appearing on the BB3 and TB-7 lists are presumed to have purchased, and according to Gural's team – pointing to the documents gathered from the trial as proof – used those substances. The gray area revolves around purchase versus intent/use. While purchasing a product logically leads one to assume use, it doesn't guarantee it. Taylor, who is suing Gural for defamation and admits any resolution is one to two years away, objects to the notion that BB3 is even Epogen, saying that testimony in the trial conflicts that notion. Taylor said that the subpoenaed records included 1,000 line items of products and only three were related to BB3. "If I did [have the time to look through 1,000 lines over 86 pages], how would I know what BB3 is or why would I question it?" said Taylor. "The FBI went through my records with a fine-tooth comb and they know I didn't do anything wrong, which is why they didn't do anything to me." Taylor, who had as many as 250 horses back in October 2023, said his numbers are "a lot less" now, adding that for the first time in nearly 50 years he didn't buy any yearlings at the Standardbred Sale in Harrisburg. The owner also sold his best 4-year-old pacer Why Not Now, a Matron winner in 2023. "Why Not Now is a horse that I think is the best 4-year-old in the country this year and I owned two-thirds of him. There is no shot I would've sold him, but the biggest 4-year-old races are at Vernon, Tioga and the Meadowlands – the Graduate Series and a couple of other races. He's worth a lot more to anyone but me," said Taylor, who does still co-own potential Hambletonian contender Security Protected and 2023 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace winner My Girl EJ, who he said won't be nominated to the Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands due to the restrictions.   "I never did anything other than pay a bill and the bill didn't have Epogen on it. If it did, I'm guilty. Even if I didn't see it and it's on there, shame on me," said Taylor. Taylor aside, there are 30-plus other names on the exclusion list at the Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon which will not be permitted to race in any overnight races or stakes outside of the previously-mentioned Hambletonian-monikered events. Whether that number shrinks in the future is an unknown and seemingly in the hands of the accused to reach out, as well as Gural to allow that privilege. Those without stakes horses may accept their fate and take their horses elsewhere; others like Taylor may fight to the end, and some may ask for a concession. Like a good Soap Opera, the entire situation may take quite some time to unfold to a decisive conclusion.