Two Canadian horse trainers and a horse owner are facing multiple charges for allegedly administering non-therapeutic, performance-enhancing substances to Standardbred harness racing horses in Ontario.

Detective Sergeant Steve Schandlen of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)/Ontario Racing Commission said that on Nov. 7, officers from the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, the Windsor Police Service, the OPP Assets Forfeiture Unit, Ontario Racing Commission Task Force, and Special Constables executed search warrants and seized drugs, medications, documents, business vehicles, and horse trailers from a Windsor residence and a Tecumseh horse stable. Schandlen declined to identify the seized substances.

Standardbred harness racing horse trainers Christopher Haskell and Derek Riesberry and Standardbred horse owner Cassie Nantais were later each charged with one count each of cheat and play, fraud and offenses under the pari-mutuel regulations of the criminal code. All three are expected to appear in Windsor Court on Jan. 5 to answer the charges. While the case is pending, they are all prohibited from participating in horse racing activities.

Neither Haskell, Riesberry, nor Nantais could be reached for comment