Kirk Ziadie gets 60-day ban

Kirk Ziadie, who has won the last two Calder training titles and two of the last three Tropical at Calder championships, has been issued a 60-day suspension by the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering after one of his horses, Not Acclaim, tested positive for the tranquilizer acepromazine on March 19, 2007, at Gulfstream Park.

According to state steward Kevin Scheen, Ziadie's suspension was to have been effective on June 18, but neither Ziadie nor the Calder stewards were notified of the decision until June 26 because of an error by the division. Scheen said Ziadie immediately filed an appeal and was granted a stay of the suspension by the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee.

"The matter is out of our hands and in the hands of the appellate court at the moment," Scheen said on Friday.

Ziadie, who was also issued a $1,000 fine to go along with his 60 day suspension, is third in the standings at the Calder meet with 15 victories through Friday.

Ziadie, the son of veteran south Florida horseman Ralph Ziadie, is the trainer of Marina Ballerina, who was scheduled to compete in Saturday's Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder.