Trainer Suspended Six Months Over Nikethamide Positive
Roderick Rodolfo Rodriguez was fined $5,000 after a horse he trained tested positive for the Class I drug nikethamide.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Equestrian
Roderick Rodolfo Rodriguez has been suspended six months as of Oct. 29 and fined $5,000 after a horse he trained tested positive for the Class I drug nikethamide and/or its metabolites. Three Thoroughbred cases tied to positive tests for nikethamide have been adjudicated so far this year.
Why it matters
Nikethamide has been characterized as a "very dangerous drug" by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, and enforcement actions like this one reflect ongoing efforts to police prohibited substances in racing. The pattern of repeated cases across multiple trainers underscores the continued challenge of keeping banned stimulants out of competition.
The sanctions in this case are part of a set of three adjudicated Thoroughbred nikethamide cases this year, with penalties ranging from six months to two years of suspension and fines between $5,000 and $12,500. The source does not indicate whether an appeal has been filed or how the penalty compares to prior nikethamide sanctions beyond the 2012 Charles Town case.
The players
Roderick Rodolfo Rodriguez
Rodriguez is a South Florida Thoroughbred trainer who was suspended six months and fined $5,000 after a horse he trained tested positive for nikethamide.
Racing Medication and Testing Consortium
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium is an industry organization that sets standards for medication control in horse racing and characterized nikethamide as a very dangerous drug.
The details
Rodriguez was sanctioned for a horse he trained that tested positive for nikethamide, a stimulant banned as a Class I drug. The ruling is one of several recent nikethamide cases, including a 2025 positive for mare City Signs at Thistledown and a 2025 test after a Gulfstream Park win by gelding Winning Fortune.
Timeline
2012: Nikethamide was found in a horse at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, the first positive test for the drug since 2001.
June 16, 2025: City Signs tested positive at Thistledown.
July 12, 2025: Winning Fortune was tested after winning a maiden claiming race at Gulfstream Park.
Oct. 29: Rodriguez's six-month suspension took effect.
Season Trajectory
The 2012 Charles Town positive was the first nikethamide detection since 2001, and the three adjudicated cases this year suggest the drug has returned to the enforcement docket after that gap. Repeated positives across several trainers at tracks including Thistledown, Gulfstream Park and Laurel Park point to a broader problem rather than an isolated incident.
Horses that test positive for nikethamide can be disqualified and lose purse money, which affects the results and earnings of other horses in the same race. Bettors and owners tracking Thoroughbred results should note that the penalties in these cases can include multi-year suspensions for trainers.
The takeaway
Racing regulators continue to enforce penalties on nikethamide positives, and trainers face substantial suspensions and fines when banned stimulants are detected. Readers following Thoroughbred racing can expect the sport's medication rules to remain a focus of enforcement.
Further reading
For more on the sport, see our Equestrian coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Blood Horse Interactive.
