O'Neill Suspended, Fined for Drug Violation

Trainer Doug O'Neill has been suspended for 10 days and fined $7,500 by the California Horse Racing Board for a drug test from one of his runner's last fall at Santa Anita Park that was positive for lidocaine, according to a March 6 ruling by California stewards.

O'Neill was handed a 30-day suspension, but 20 days are stayed provided O'Neill does not have any violation of class 1, 2, or 3 medications within a year of the ruling date, in accordance with a settlement agreement between him and the CHRB. He will serve his suspension March 18-April 6.

The positive result was from Howbeit, who finished second in the seventh race Oct. 9 at Santa Anita, a six-furlong claiming race for 3-year-olds racing with a $40,000 tag.

"I take 100% responsibility for the miniscule (parts per trillion) amount of lidocaine detected in one of my horses post-race. As the trainer of the horse, the buck stops with me," O'Neill said in a statement he released on Twitter March 7. "Lidocaine is prevalent in numerous over-the-counter medications used to relieve pain and itching caused by minor sun burns or other burns, insect bites and the like. Lidocaine is an ingredient in many human creams. I know with certainty that I have never administered lidocaine to any of my horses, ever, and that this has to be an environmental contamination. The amount involved would not affect a horse's performance.

"I must serve a 10-day suspension for this infraction. I am grateful to the CHRB for working with me to settle this matter and I will take the suspension and look forward to moving on from this unfortunate incident.

"As a trainer it's easy to accept the 'pats on the backs' and accolades, but we have to also accept the 'less than' moments, equally as well."

The anesthetic lidocaine is a recognized therapeutic in horse racing with a withdrawal guideline of 72 hours before a race. The Association of Racing Commissioners International's Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances and Recommended Penalties Model Rule lists lidocaine as a Class 2 drug with a Class B penalty, both second highest on the scales.

O'Neill has trained two Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winners—I'll Have Another  in 2012 and Nyquist  in 2016—and was recently named a finalist on the National Museum of Racing's 2021 Hall of Fame ballot.