Rachel Alexandra in limbo after lidocaine ruling

The immediate future of champion USA filly Rachel Alexandra is on hold after her trainer Steve Asmussen was suspended for six months on Thursday.
Stewards at Lone Star Park in Texas outed Asmussen after his runner Timber Trick returned a positive to lidocaine.

Asmussen leads the USA trainers’ premiership by a wide margin this year and the news comes shortly after he announced Rachel Alexandra would start next in the G1 Haskell Invitational Stakes on August 2 at Monmouth Park.

Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia D-Oro) has won the G1 Kentucky Oaks, Preakness Stakes and Mother Goose Stakes at her last three starts.  Asmussen has based the star filly at Saratoga since her 19 length victory in the Mother Goose on June 27.

Asmussen immediately appealed the decision by Lone Star officials.  He served suspensions in 2006 and 2007 for mepivacaine and acepromazine violations but has denied administering lidocaine to Timber Trick