An appeals hearing was held last week in Albuquerque as a three-member panel listened to arguments by Taylor's attorney, Billy Blackburn, and Assistant New Mexico Attorney General Scott Fuqua, who representing the Racing Commission and defending the decision by the Board of Stewards.

Following the hearing, the panel is expected to submit a recommendation to the State Racing Commission, of which the Commission can go along with or make its own ruling.

Taylor told StallioneSearch.com over the weekend that due to the hearing, he had not been able to speak about the incident and there were some things that he wanted the racing public to know regarding the charges.

According to Taylor, all ten horses from the 2008 All American Futurity originally had clean urine tests, including Stolis Winner, causing the purse to be distributed by the track. Stolis Winner was the only horse that was later subjected to a test that could detect caffeine while the other nine horses in the race were never tested for that substance.

"Stolis Winner tested negative for metabolites of caffeine which means there is no real proof of if or when caffeine was in him during the running of the race or if it was in him at all, "Taylor said. "Only that a trace amount was found in the samples tested. Due to the extreme small amount found, based on a scientific timeline and no metabolites being found, it could have come from contact after the race."

According to expert witnesses who testified during the hearing, in caffeine there is always a 3 to 1 scientific ratio between urine and blood. "This would be 84 ng/ml in urine," Taylor said, "which would result in 24 to 27 ng/ml in the blood".

Dr. Brian Nielsen of Michigan State and Dr. Steven Barker, head of the Louisiana State University lab, testified as experts in the case and said the amount of caffeine detected could not have enhanced Stolis Winner’s performance. They said the amount of caffeine in Stolis Winner was the equivalent of a tablespoon of coffee. According to their testimony, it has been proven scientifically that it would take a minimum of 2000ng/ml in blood to have any effect on a horse's performance. The alleged amount from the Stolis Winner's test has been reported between 24 and 27 ng. They added that if this amount was present in Stolis Winner during the race, it could not have possibly influenced the outcome of the race.

Taylor indicated that almost every racing jurisdiction in the United States has a 100ng/ml threshold because trainers can't control environmental contamination. In Stolis Winner's case, the New Mexico assistant Attorney General argued that New Mexico has a zero tolerance rule. However according to Taylor's attorney, New Mexico has shown in past cases NOT to be a zero tolerance state and has left the issue to prosecute or not to the discretion of the State's Racing Chemist . In some New Mexico cases where very small amounts of non-therapeutic or prohibited drugs were found including stimulants such as cocaine, the State has not prosecuted other trainers.

"I maintain 100 percent innocence on behalf of entire 'Team Stolis Winner'," Taylor said. "I want to thank the hundreds of supporters and well wishers. All of us appreciate all the faith and confidence you have given us.".

The panel could make their recommendation by the end of the summer.