Baffert stripped, sued, suspended

Medina Spirit (Apr. 5, 2018 – Dec. 6, 2021) has been stripped of [his] Kentucky Derby title nine months after a failed post-race drug test, writes Today on Feb. 22, 2022. Renowned trainer Bob Baffert will be suspended for 90 days from the sport beginning next month, but his attorney says he plans to appeal.…

Suspicions continue in the case and death of Medina Spirit

WLKY reports the following on 14th Feb, 2022: Nine months after Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby, the outcome of the race is in the hands of the stewards. Kentucky racing officials are now deciding on the fate of Medina Spirit after a positive post-race drug test. It all hinges on the way the…

What happened to the Baffert Kentucky Derby drug hearing?

The Lexington Herald Leader reports: If you’ve been waiting on pins and needles for an official ruling from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in the Medina Spirit drug case, you’re going to have to wait a bit longer. A hearing originally scheduled for Feb. 7 with Kentucky racing stewards over the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner’s…

Baffert’s NYRA hearing ends

Attorneys for Bob Baffert and the New York Racing Association wrapped up a hearing on Friday to help determine whether the trainer will receive a lengthy suspension. Henry Greenberg, representing NYRA, said during his closing argument that Baffert has caused harm to the sport of racing with his actions after Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby betamethasone…

NYRA tries to prove Baffert is bad for racing’s public perception

Court hears expert testimony regarding betamethasone use on the late Medina Spirit Updated 11:24 am Horse Racing Nation's article reports the following on Court proceedings in the New York Baffert case: The New York Racing Association spent the second day of its hearing with trainer Bob Baffert in Manhattan trying to prove that his various…

Medina Spirit’s breeder defends horse racing

Over the next several days, we will be writing about the death of Medina Spirit. Let's start with his breeder. Gail Rice Gail Rice, the breeder who helped Medina Spirit’s mother as she struggled to give birth to him three years ago, had trouble accepting that the Kentucky Derby winner collapsed and died of an apparent heart…

Baffert makes his last stand

by John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times Now 68, Baffert is seeing his livelihood and reputation under attack after a series of medication infractions have made him an outcast to some in the industry and a pariah to many more outside of it. He's the person few in the business want to talk about, but everyone…

Horses entered by suspended trainers can’t earn Derby points

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Points from races in the series that earn berths in the Kentucky Derby won’t be awarded to any horse trained by an individual who is suspended from entering the Kentucky Derby in 2022. The rule announced Friday by Churchill Downs also applies to any trainer directly or indirectly employed, supervised or…

Racing news roundup 8/27

• Two arrested in Oz following racing fixing probe via Paulick Report Two individuals have been arrested in Australia after a race-fixing probe, reports racing.com. Racing Victoria is among the three racing codes to have assisted the Victoria police's Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit, whose investigation was focused on “the alleged use of illegal substances in racing…

Racing needs timely decision on Kentucky Derby drug case

This will be our last post on Bob Baffert for some time — if we have our way about it. It never occurred to us when we began covering the potential disqualification of this year's Kentucky Derby “winner” Medina Spirit on the heels of his post-race positive for the steroid betamethasone, that it was just…