Bob Baffert has been the face of American horse racing for practically 30 years.
His success on the game’s largest levels and his shock of white hair make him massively recognizable, even to the common one that doesn’t comply with the game exterior of the Kentucky Derby.
He skilled American Pharoah to the primary Triple Crown sweep in 37 years in 2015. He repeated the feat with Justify in 2018.
In all, Baffert has gained a record-tying six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preaknesses and three Belmonts.
However he gained’t be at Churchill Downs on Saturday for the 148th Derby and it’s not as a result of he doesn’t have any contenders.
Why is Baffert banned from the Derby?
Churchill Downs Inc. barred Baffert from getting into horses at any of its tracks for this yr and thru mid-2023. The punishment resulted from his 2021 Derby winner Medina Spirit failing a post-race drug take a look at and later being disqualified from that victory in a ruling handed down this yr.
Medina Spirit examined constructive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medicine. It’s allowed in Kentucky however should clear a horse’s system no less than 14 days earlier than a race. It’s thought of a Class C drug, with a lesser potential to affect efficiency, however any degree of detection on race day is a violation.
On the similar time, the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee suspended Baffert for 90 days due to medicine violations involving the coach’s horses, together with Medina Spirit.
Which means he'll miss the whole Triple Crown sequence: the Derby, Preakness on Might 21 and Belmont Stakes on June 11.
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Baffert failed in a number of makes an attempt in Kentucky to overturn the monitor’s ban or the beginning of his suspension, which started April 4.
The 69-year-old Corridor of Fame coach is suing Churchill Downs Inc. in federal courtroom to finish his suspension.
Baffert has saddled 34 horses within the Derby — third-most in historical past — since his first look in 1996. Apart from his six wins, he’s had three seconds and three thirds.
This yr shall be simply the sixth time he hasn’t had a horse within the race.
What does Baffert say about Medina Spirit’s failed take a look at?
The coach stated the constructive take a look at might be defined by an ointment used to deal with a pores and skin rash on Medina Spirit. He stated a veterinarian really helpful an antifungal cream that was utilized day by day. Attorneys for Baffert and Medina Spirit’s proprietor, Amr Zedan, stated urine testing performed by a New York lab confirmed the colt was constructive for the anti-inflammatory not by way of an injection however due to the ointment used.ADVERTISEMENT
Kentucky racing officers have stated it doesn’t matter how the anti-inflammatory was administered, solely that it was current on race day, which isn’t allowed.
The colt died in early December after a exercise at Santa Anita. Baffert stated it was a coronary heart assault. A necropsy did not pinpoint the trigger.
What does his suspension imply?
The 38 U.S. racing states function on an off-the-cuff system of reciprocity, that means if an proprietor, coach or jockey is banned in a single state, the others usually will honor that suspension.
House owners, trainers and jockeys should be licensed in every state through which they compete. These licenses are issued by state racing boards.
Baffert relies in Southern California, the place the principles involving suspensions go additional.
Any coach suspended for 60 days or extra is banned from any racing board-licensed services. Baffert needed to take away the signage figuring out his barn at Santa Anita and vacate the premises when his suspension started.
Will any former Baffert horses run within the Derby?
Sure. Messier, the early 8-1 third selection, and early 12-1 shot Taiba are the 2 Kentucky Derby starters who have been beforehand skilled by Baffert.
After Baffert’s authorized makes an attempt to overturn his ban and suspension failed in late March, a few of his horses have been transferred to different trainers by their homeowners.
How did different trainers find yourself taking on Baffert’s horses?
Tim Yakteen, a former assistant below Baffert who has run his personal steady for 18 years, is overseeing Kentucky Derby contenders Messier and Taiba.
He has no quick ties to Baffert and the homeowners of the horses agreed to the strikes. The homeowners have usually expressed sympathy for Baffert.
Baffert isn’t allowed to contact Yakteen throughout his suspension.
As soon as Messier and Taiba have been transferred, they ran in qualifying races and earned sufficient factors to achieve spots within the 20-horse Derby beginning gate.
Has Baffert been in bother earlier than?
Sure, a number of occasions, however that is probably the most extreme punishment he’s acquired. His filly, Gamine, examined constructive for betamethasone after the 2020 Kentucky Oaks. It’s the identical substance that Medina Spirit examined constructive for after final yr’s Kentucky Derby.
Within the Gamine case, which Baffert didn’t attraction, Kentucky racing officers fined however didn’t droop him. The filly was disqualified from a third-place end and the purse cash she earned was forfeited.
In April 2020, Gamine was disqualified after she gained a race at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. That very same day, Charlatan was DQ’d from his victory within the Arkansas Derby. Each horses examined constructive for lidocaine, an area anesthetic.
Baffert appealed each circumstances with Arkansas officers, who initially suspended him for 15 days and disqualified each horses. He succeeded in getting the rulings overturned. The horses had their first-place finishes restored and he was fined $5,000 for every constructive take a look at.
Arkansas officers stated the constructive assessments didn't influence the horses’ performances and that they have been the results of inadvertent contamination. Baffert blamed the constructive assessments on a ache patch worn by an assistant who saddled each horses.
When can Baffert return to racing?
His suspension ends July 2. That provides him time to arrange for the beginning of the summer season assembly at Del Mar, the San Diego-area monitor that opens July 22.
Final week, a listening to officer really helpful a two-year suspension for Baffert in New York for repeated medicine violations involving his horses that occurred in different states. The suspension should nonetheless be accepted by a New York Racing Affiliation panel. If accepted, it will go into impact after the top of his 90-day suspension by Kentucky officers.
Baffert plans to contest the ruling that might preserve him from getting into horses at Saratoga in upstate New York when its summer season season begins July 14.
He’ll be again in time to enter horses in November on the Breeders’ Cup, the 2 richest days in North American racing. The occasion is at Keeneland, a Kentucky monitor not owned by Churchill Downs Inc.
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