Calhoun banned 15 days

Bret Calhoun, the fifth-leading trainer by wins in North America, has been suspended 15 days by the Lone Star Park board of stewards for a medication infraction in Texas. Calhoun began serving the suspension, which will run through Aug. 7, on Monday.

Calhoun was cited after one of his trainees, Tale of Freedom, tested positive for the bronchodilator clenbuterol after winning the eighth race at Lone Star on May 21.

Tale of Freedom was declared unplaced by the stewards in a ruling issued Sunday. Calhoun was also fined $250.

Calhoun has 90 horses in training among Arlington Park near Chicago, Louisiana Downs near Shreveport, La., and Remington Park in Oklahoma City. He said his owners have turned their horses over to his assistants: Dennis Geier at Arlington, Jill Parrott at Louisiana Downs, and Jay Severs at Remington.

The suspension is the first for Calhoun, who began training in 1993.