This just in.

California stewards April 2 upheld the reciprocity of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission suspension of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a standard practice for racing jurisdictions across the country.

The reciprocity ruling, issued by Santa Anita Park stewards Luis Jauregui, Will Meyers, and Kim Sawyer and released Saturday by the California Horse Racing Board, mirrors the KHRC suspension, which Baffert is appealing with the case set to come before a hearing officer April 18. Pursuant to CHRB Rule 1484 (evidence of unfitness for license), the ruling suspends Baffert for 90 days, April 4-July 2.

CHRB Rule 1843.3, which requires the trainer’s Santa Anita Park barn to be vacated along with all signage, colors, and training equipment before the start of a suspension of this length—and denies the trainer access to the grounds of any CHRB-licensed facility—also will be enforced.

Well, well, well. What is next in store?

PICTURED (Associated Press Photo): In this June 6, 2018, file photo, trainer Bob Baffert walks Justify around the barn. Baffert denied giving 2018 Triple Crown winning horse Justify a banned substance that caused a positive test prior to last year’s Kentucky Derby and blamed the result on contaminated food. He “unequivocally” rejects the implication he’d give Justify or any other horse scopolamine, which the colt tested positive for after winning the Santa Anita Derby in April 2018. Source »

Tuesday’s Horse

Official Blog of The Fund for Horses

So sad that it took so long for this cheater and racehorse killer to finally be brought to justice because for years Baffert and cheaters like him have put hundreds of honest trainers/owners out of business.
Trainers like Baffert also show potential newcomers to horse racing that it has zippo integrity, ability or the willingness to enforce rules and regulations against certain trainers.
There are 2 sets of rules in horse racing.
One set for 90% of trainers/owners who follow the rules and regulations and then the other 10%.
That 10% are trainers like Baffert, Todd Pletcher, Rudy Rodriquez, D. Wayne Lukas, Mike Maker, Linda Rice etc. who cheat, get caught and never seem to get any type of meaningful repercussions as per the rules.
90% of trainer and owners, who invest millions into this business, are forced to stand and watch these cheaters get away with it time and time again and, of course, these are the trainers monopolizing all of the stall allocations and purse money.
Just look at Linda Rice!
She has a lengthy record of violations and corrupt transactions, was even found guilty and she’s STILL TRAINING AND RACING her so-called suspension collecting dust over the paperwork.
She appealed the suspension months ago and it means absolutely nothing because they are allowing this trainer to continue plying her trade knowing that she’s never paid a price for her cheating and corruption.
True to industry form, it’s business as usual.
She makes a living out of claiming racehorses who have more than earned a soft landing and safe retirement only to squeeze the lemon dry until they get claimed or drop dead.
Some of her recent claims: CHRIS AND DAVE (this 9 y.o gelding has more than earned his retirement. He made over $805,121 was a stakes winner in his day and she keeps dropping him lower in the claiming ranks to pick up a check. A true definition of squeezing the lemon dry).
She has no “retirement plans” for this poor gelding who continues to be abused under her and their claiming system. Her only plans is to squeeze every last cent out of him at the detriment of this racehorse)
This has been her modus operandi for years and clearly shows that a python has more compassion in its deadly squeeze than this lady it seems.
In this one example alone, it shows an industry that’s in a downward spiral due to their never ending protections in place for racehorse abusers and killers.
While most trainers, the 90%, struggle to make ends meet the other 10% always comes up with high-priced attorneys that defend them – hmmmmm.
Most of the attorneys who defend them OWN racehorses (Clark Brewster) and OWN financial interests in many racehorses and, surpise!, this attorney has defended trainers for years including Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen who trains the bulk of his racehorses.
Their game seems to be this: cheat, cheat and cheat while winning all the big races and we will be there to defend you when you get caught.
Then their game plan continues: appeal, appeal, appeal so you can continue to cheat, cheat, and cheat so we can squeeze some more money out of this system gain the points necessary to enter the Derby and it worked up until now.
This game plan has worked for attorneys for years and it obviously continues to work under trainers like Linda Rice.
How in the hell can trainers, who play by the rules, possibly justify this deep corruption to an owner who has just invested money?
Racehorse ownership is way down in this country with facts and figures clearly reflecting a younger generation who wants nothing to do with it, in the least, not enough to fill the aging demographics at the wagering windows.
Horse racing’s financial viability is non-existent which is precisely why, in most states, horse racing requires millions in government/taxpayer funded subsidies to keep it going and it has been this way for years.
So how in the hell can politicians continue to support a business that will never be financially viable and will always require millions in handouts while 90% of our communities suffer?
They can blame the animal rights activists to the abolitionists as they do, but they really need to look in the mirror because horse racing itself is solely to blame for the declining interest and investment into horse racing beginning with their unwillingness to “clean up their act.”
Then again, racehorses snapping their legs-off, dropping and dying in the dirt by the thousands will certainly turn-off most people from the general public challenging their traditional socially accepted lines like “we treat them royally,” “we treat them like family,” while being exposed to the truth via videos out on social media.
You “treat them like family” do you?
Well that’s hard to justify when you see hundreds of racehorses, some with racing plates still on, standing at kill auctions and dying on the slaughterhouse floor and even their biggest champions like THE DEPUTY had to be rescued from a kill pen in Texas and a racehorse of this caliber should have never ended up, starving, in a kill pen.
It clearly shows owners and trainers who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk when it comes to “treating them like family.”
Indeed, the days of self-proclaimed, self-controlled racehorse myths and public wallpaper are long over because there’s no amount of pro-horse racing high-paid public relations firms that can just wipe out the facts that are being exposed on a daily basis on social media.
Prominent groups like PETA and Horseracingwrongs are ensuring that the facts are exposed and they have the powerful social media tools at their disposal like never before.
The fact that it took years for this business to ban Baffert who repeatedly cheated the system, at the detriment of the racehorses, shows that they failed miserably and continue to fail when suspensions for trainer Linda Rice simply continue to get swept under the carpet while she’s permitted to continue business as usual.
This is a reactive business, not a proactive one and the suspension of Bob Baffert is a little too late for this business to ever be saved from its eventual demise.
Our younger generation speaks out loud every single day and any business in this country who exploits animals for profits is in big trouble and will be forced to either end or change their business model whether its the circus, SeaWorld or any business who forcibly confines animals for profit.
While circus venues and SeaWorld have changed up their business model in response to the publics outrage horse racing will not be able to do the same thing.
The horse racing business is so embedded and completely built-on the exploitation of racehorses leaving no viable option other than to eventually shut down unless virtual horse racing can somehow be implemented.
The only glimmers of hope to replace racehorses are historical or virtual horse racing that will replace the antiquated business model of confining, doping, whipping, dumping and killing sentient beings.
Of course the millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies ensures that it continues and simultaneously ensures that racehorses are suffering and dying on a grand scale with the increase in purse money.
It’s no secret that once these subsidies are eliminated or greatly reduced, as they should be, horse racing in those states will not survive.
So although Baffert is the face of all that is wrong with horse racing his suspension will not eliminate the suffering and dying of racehorses and that’s precisely why this business is in jeopardy as it should be.

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1 thought on “California upholds reciprocity of Baffert suspension”

Gina Powell Apr 3, 20228:48 AM Reply

So sad that it took so long for this cheater and racehorse killer to finally be brought to justice because for years Baffert and cheaters like him have put hundreds of honest trainers/owners out of business.
Trainers like Baffert also show potential newcomers to horse racing that it has zippo integrity, ability or the willingness to enforce rules and regulations against certain trainers.
There are 2 sets of rules in horse racing.
One set for 90% of trainers/owners who follow the rules and regulations and then the other 10%.
That 10% are trainers like Baffert, Todd Pletcher, Rudy Rodriquez, D. Wayne Lukas, Mike Maker, Linda Rice etc. who cheat, get caught and never seem to get any type of meaningful repercussions as per the rules.
90% of trainer and owners, who invest millions into this business, are forced to stand and watch these cheaters get away with it time and time again and, of course, these are the trainers monopolizing all of the stall allocations and purse money.
Just look at Linda Rice!
She has a lengthy record of violations and corrupt transactions, was even found guilty and she’s STILL TRAINING AND RACING her so-called suspension collecting dust over the paperwork.
She appealed the suspension months ago and it means absolutely nothing because they are allowing this trainer to continue plying her trade knowing that she’s never paid a price for her cheating and corruption.
True to industry form, it’s business as usual.
She makes a living out of claiming racehorses who have more than earned a soft landing and safe retirement only to squeeze the lemon dry until they get claimed or drop dead.
Some of her recent claims: CHRIS AND DAVE (this 9 y.o gelding has more than earned his retirement. He made over $805,121 was a stakes winner in his day and she keeps dropping him lower in the claiming ranks to pick up a check. A true definition of squeezing the lemon dry).
She has no “retirement plans” for this poor gelding who continues to be abused under her and their claiming system. Her only plans is to squeeze every last cent out of him at the detriment of this racehorse)
This has been her modus operandi for years and clearly shows that a python has more compassion in its deadly squeeze than this lady it seems.
In this one example alone, it shows an industry that’s in a downward spiral due to their never ending protections in place for racehorse abusers and killers.
While most trainers, the 90%, struggle to make ends meet the other 10% always comes up with high-priced attorneys that defend them – hmmmmm.
Most of the attorneys who defend them OWN racehorses (Clark Brewster) and OWN financial interests in many racehorses and, surpise!, this attorney has defended trainers for years including Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen who trains the bulk of his racehorses.
Their game seems to be this: cheat, cheat and cheat while winning all the big races and we will be there to defend you when you get caught.
Then their game plan continues: appeal, appeal, appeal so you can continue to cheat, cheat, and cheat so we can squeeze some more money out of this system gain the points necessary to enter the Derby and it worked up until now.
This game plan has worked for attorneys for years and it obviously continues to work under trainers like Linda Rice.
How in the hell can trainers, who play by the rules, possibly justify this deep corruption to an owner who has just invested money?
Racehorse ownership is way down in this country with facts and figures clearly reflecting a younger generation who wants nothing to do with it, in the least, not enough to fill the aging demographics at the wagering windows.
Horse racing’s financial viability is non-existent which is precisely why, in most states, horse racing requires millions in government/taxpayer funded subsidies to keep it going and it has been this way for years.
So how in the hell can politicians continue to support a business that will never be financially viable and will always require millions in handouts while 90% of our communities suffer?
They can blame the animal rights activists to the abolitionists as they do, but they really need to look in the mirror because horse racing itself is solely to blame for the declining interest and investment into horse racing beginning with their unwillingness to “clean up their act.”
Then again, racehorses snapping their legs-off, dropping and dying in the dirt by the thousands will certainly turn-off most people from the general public challenging their traditional socially accepted lines like “we treat them royally,” “we treat them like family,” while being exposed to the truth via videos out on social media.
You “treat them like family” do you?
Well that’s hard to justify when you see hundreds of racehorses, some with racing plates still on, standing at kill auctions and dying on the slaughterhouse floor and even their biggest champions like THE DEPUTY had to be rescued from a kill pen in Texas and a racehorse of this caliber should have never ended up, starving, in a kill pen.
It clearly shows owners and trainers who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk when it comes to “treating them like family.”
Indeed, the days of self-proclaimed, self-controlled racehorse myths and public wallpaper are long over because there’s no amount of pro-horse racing high-paid public relations firms that can just wipe out the facts that are being exposed on a daily basis on social media.
Prominent groups like PETA and Horseracingwrongs are ensuring that the facts are exposed and they have the powerful social media tools at their disposal like never before.
The fact that it took years for this business to ban Baffert who repeatedly cheated the system, at the detriment of the racehorses, shows that they failed miserably and continue to fail when suspensions for trainer Linda Rice simply continue to get swept under the carpet while she’s permitted to continue business as usual.
This is a reactive business, not a proactive one and the suspension of Bob Baffert is a little too late for this business to ever be saved from its eventual demise.
Our younger generation speaks out loud every single day and any business in this country who exploits animals for profits is in big trouble and will be forced to either end or change their business model whether its the circus, SeaWorld or any business who forcibly confines animals for profit.
While circus venues and SeaWorld have changed up their business model in response to the publics outrage horse racing will not be able to do the same thing.
The horse racing business is so embedded and completely built-on the exploitation of racehorses leaving no viable option other than to eventually shut down unless virtual horse racing can somehow be implemented.
The only glimmers of hope to replace racehorses are historical or virtual horse racing that will replace the antiquated business model of confining, doping, whipping, dumping and killing sentient beings.
Of course the millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies ensures that it continues and simultaneously ensures that racehorses are suffering and dying on a grand scale with the increase in purse money.
It’s no secret that once these subsidies are eliminated or greatly reduced, as they should be, horse racing in those states will not survive.
So although Baffert is the face of all that is wrong with horse racing his suspension will not eliminate the suffering and dying of racehorses and that’s precisely why this business is in jeopardy as it should be.

LikeLiked by 2 people