Didn’t know where to put this easily, so here it is.
If Justify had not won the Santa Anita Derby, would be have qualified for the Kentucky Derby? Hmmmm…
I am not in this, but if Baffert is as all powerful as had been alluded to, did they not pursue this further at the time, just to not ruffle his feathers?
The big problem was the way the CHRB handled this behind closed doors and that after their decision not to make the positive results public , they changed the rules. It was sketchy and did look like favoritism.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/237903/ruis-sues-chrb-over-handling-of-justify-case
Oooof that’s not a good look. The way they quietly changed the rule after Justify had already won the KD and maybe the Preakness makes it look even worse. I think Ruis has a shot at winning this.
So if Justify were to be DQ’d from the SA Derby, he would not have qualified for the Kentucky Derby (not enough points) and should not have run. So does he get DQ’d from the Kentucky Derby?
No. But he should have been DQed from SA Derby and therefore not have enough points for the Derby.
I find this really very, very sad. Truely disheartening. Yet another reason for the increasing public distrust of TB racing and really poor PR for a sport suffering from declining public support and risking it’s ‘social licence to operate’, another apparent lack of backbone in racing administration, hidden behind closed doors, that seems unable to make a firm decision, the devaluation of a classic race, an international impact within the multi- billion global breeding industry based on results in classic races… I just wish that USA TB racing would get its act together. Some things have value far greater than money or personal reputation. You will only appreciate what has been lost when it has gone.
I wish there was a USA TB Racing instead of a bunch of state boards. Ironically, the Pari Mutual gambling part is nationally regulated and has been a factor in running an honest sport supporting things like positive horse ID, open performance records ( including works) and D&M regulation.
Seven (7) horses from five (5) different trainers also tested positive for jimson weed. The substance is legal in small dosages because the CA racing board knows about the feed contamination.
There is a threshold for all race day prohibited substances, and the horse exceeded what was allowed, until they changed the rules behind closed doors.
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