Trainer Doug O'Neill dealt 30-day suspension

Top California trainer Doug O’Neill has been suspended 10 days and fined $7,500 after one of his runners at Santa Anita in October tested positive for the anesthetic lidocaine.

The penalties were part of a stipulated agreement between O’Neill and the California Horse Racing Board and were published in a ruling issued Saturday by Santa Anita stewards Ron Church, Luis Jauregui, and Kim Sawyer.

O’Neill was suspended 30 days, but 20 days of the penalty were stayed provided he does not have any violations for medications in classes 1, 2 or 3 through March 6, 2022.

The positive was found in a post-race test taken from Howbeit, who finished second in the seventh race on Oct. 9, a six-furlong dirt race for $40,000 claimers. Lidocaine is not permitted to appear in post-race tests.

O’Neill’s suspension begins Monday and continues through March 17. During the suspension, O’Neill cannot attend races or be present in the stables.

Through Friday, O’Neill, 52, led all trainers at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with 20 wins, two more than Peter Miller.