The enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has suspended trainer Kevin Eikleberry and fined him $1,000 for his use or attempted use of Epsom salts during the race period.
The violation falls under HISA's rules for controlled medication, substances allowed in the racing environment but regulated. In general these violations are less concerning than transgressions under the banned substance rules, which involve substances that are never permitted in a horse.
Epsom salts are sometimes used as a sedative or laxative in horses. As defined by HISA, Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) fall into the Class B penalty subclassification. The HISA violation status for Epsom salts is S7, which is the lowest status of concern.
According to a Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit post to its website, Eikleberry will begin a one-week suspension Nov. 8. HIWU also imposed two penalty points on the trainer.
HIWU said the violation occurred Sept. 28. On that day Alexiana, a juvenile Gormley filly who had won her first two starts for her breeder Allen Poindexter and co-owner Brian Hall, was scratched from a planned start in the Iowa Sorority Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
With his horses earning $1,106,899, Eikleberry led all trainers in earnings at the Prairie Meadows meeting that concluded Sept. 28. As it turned out, in the race Alexiana was scratched, the Iowa Sorority Stakes, he sent out stablemate Kanojo to victory.
