Mountaineer Trainer Eddie Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 After Positive Test

Mountaineer Park stewards imposed a six‑month suspension and a $5,000 fine on trainer Eddie Clouston after a public ruling dated Feb. 10, 2026 found oxymorphone in the post‑race urine of Maam Cross, the filly who had broken her maiden by 8 1/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite. The ruling disqualified Maam Cross from that victory and ordered the redistribution of purse money; unless an appeal triggers a stay, the suspension is scheduled to run through Aug. 3, 2026.

The substance at the center of the ruling, oxymorphone, is described in the ruling materials as a semi‑synthetic opioid analgesic derived from morphine and classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States. The public record notes that oxymorphone is primarily used in equine practice in anesthesia settings rather than routine pain control, making a post‑race detection particularly consequential for stewards and regulatory enforcement.

Maam Cross was in her first start for trainer Eddie Clouston and for owner Michelle Helms when she delivered the 8 1/4‑length maiden score; she had been a $100,000 OBSAPR purchase as a 2‑year‑old and had only once hit the board in four prior starts at Santa Anita, Horseshoe Indianapolis, Thistledown and Mahoning Valley. After the disputed maiden victory the filly subsequently ran third as the 3-10 favorite in a NW2L claiming sprint at Mountaineer on Nov. 30 and has not started since that outing.

The penalty was levied as a second Class‑1, Penalty Category A post‑race drug positive within 365 days, triggering an enhanced sanction under multiple‑violation rules. The ruling cites the classification and the sequence of offenses as the basis for the six‑month ban and $5,000 fine; the public ruling itself was issued Feb. 10, 2026 and made public in mid‑February.

Clouston’s suspension removes a prominent operator from Mountaineer stables at a time when he was a top performer at the track. Clouston finished third in earnings and second in victories at the 2025 Mountaineer Park meet, and BloodHorse cited Jockey Club Information Systems figures showing a 26% win rate with 73 wins from 281 starts and stable earnings of $441,872. That level of stable success concentrates purses, work for grooms and exercise riders, and entries for local owners such as Michelle Helms under one trainer’s operation, meaning a six‑month absence has immediate financial implications for staff and for owners expecting mounts and starts.

This ruling also revives elements of Clouston’s disciplinary history. BloodHorse previously reported an earlier medication case in which Clouston faced fines and a 45‑day suspension after a positive for betamethasone; that historical case resulted in an added 30‑day penalty under the multiple‑violation system when a prior positive was on record. The Feb. 10 ruling invokes the same regulatory framework that amplifies penalties for repeat Class‑1 positives within a 365‑day window.

Regulatory next steps hinge on appeals and the release of the full steward ruling. The suspension will run through Aug. 3, 2026 unless Clouston files an appeal that wins a stay. The ruling already altered the race record by disqualifying Maam Cross and redistributing purse money; trainers, owners and stable employees at Mountaineer will be watching whether the official ruling names the testing laboratory, details chain of custody, or records a split‑sample decision that could shape any appeal.

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