Trainer Poole Suspended 22 Months for Banned Substance

In a final decision of the arbitral body, trainer Jeffrey Poole has been suspended for nearly two years and fined for possessing a banned substance.

In a case now listed as resolved by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit, the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Poole was sanctioned for possessing levothyroxine (Thyro-L) June 2. He was suspended for 22 months, fined $10,000, and required to make payment of $8,000 in arbitration costs. 

In the formation of HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control rules, the arbitral body was created as an outlet to handle appeals.

The public disclosure did not list where Poole allegedly possessed levothyroxine. He had regularly raced horses at Gulfstream Park, where he had two horses start June 11.

The case was announced in a June 13 public disclosure and, under the rules for banned substance findings, the suspension began that day. The case was the first public disclosure issued by HIWU.

Under HISA/HIWU rules, banned substance violations involve drugs or other substances that should never be used in a racing environment. These violations typically call for the harshest sanctions.

Levothyroxine is a synthetic version of thyroxine (levothyroxine sodium), a prescription medication that outside the racing environment is used to treat hypothyroidism. Its abuse in the racing environment has been a concern.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners and Racing Medication and Testing Consortium in 2020 released a joint paper saying that the prescribing and dispensing of levothyroxine on a herd health basis to horses with normal thyroid function is not medically justifiable. 

Poole, who began training horses in 1989, this year has a record of 3-9-3 from 41 starts and earnings of $82,730.