Breeders’ Cup clears Baffert to run

This is why horse racing, among many other reasons, should be banned. It is corrupt. But this is not news. The following isn’t either. It is the same ol’, same ol’.

ESPN reports:

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Bob Baffert can enter horses in the Breeders’ Cup next month at Del Mar, but the event’s all-time money-leading trainer has to meet certain conditions, including stricter out-of-competition testing of his horses and greater security at his barn.

The conditions are the result of a review by the Breeders’ Cup board to decide Baffert’s participation in the two-day world championships on Nov. 5-6 at the seaside track north of San Diego. The review was triggered by Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s failed postrace drug test in May.

The colt trained by Baffert tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has yet to issue a final verdict as part of its investigation into the matter. Churchill Downs suspended Baffert for two years.

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Oh, let’s be as fair and square as possible, right BC? The fact the BC is being run at a California track doesn’t enter the equation, or anything . . . ?

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The Breeders’ Cup said in a statement Sunday that “in the interest of fairness,” Baffert was given advance notice and a chance to participate in its review, which he did.

“Based on the totality of the circumstances, Breeders’ Cup has decided to require all horses trained by Mr. Baffert to undergo enhanced out-of-competition, pre- and post-race testing and other security protocols, at his own expense,” the statement said.

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Fairness? To a serial cheater and doper? Stuff your useless protocols — so called.

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The definition of “fixing” in the Cambridge English Dictionary is “dishonest activity to make certain that a competition, race, or election is won by a particular person.”

The definition of “corrupt” from the same source states it as “dishonestly using your position or power to get an advantage, especially for money.”

Sounds like the beginning of a strong case to us, but then there is no overall governing authority in horse racing by which to confront these sorts of, shall we say, irregularities.

Oh, wait. What about that new law, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020? What ever happened to that? Oh, right. It made it to the starting gate, sort of, but that is about it. How predictable it all is.

We could care less about the owners, trainers, jockeys et al. We only care about the horses. To our view you cannot care about the horses and support horse racing.

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