Medina Spirit fails drug test

[WinterTriangle]

Whether horse is DQed (obviously not in a timely manner) the reality is that approx 20 horses run in this every year and other HOY trainers are not having medication overages …left and right…like Baffert does. With his other horses as well

It’s almost as if horse racing is so desperate for entertainment attention, i.e. Baffert spinning these rather incredible fairy tales every time about HOW his horses end up with drug positives…and then the CSI / People Magazine intrigue of following the lawsuits, etc.

My take is that regardless of how this turns out, I imagine many high level CAPABLE trainers are sort of snickering behind his back when he walks by, knowing that he has amazingly poor “barn management” to have all this stuff happen to him …(and I use that phrasing purposely as he is walking around going “why me why me why me” …) .I find it somewhat hilarious, acutally.

I will never understand people who are in such denial all the time and can’t seem to accept accountability. Also seems a horrible way to live, psychologically… I mean you see this behavior (pathology) in episodes of A&E’s Hoarders television series. LOL

[snaffle1987]

that’s easy. $$$, lawsuits, and the impending doom a negative result would bring. If this things comes up as a DQ over drugs, which I hope it does, it not only is a black eye to Baffert as a trainer and the sport, but to Churchill Downs and the Derby as well. This could be a major financial implication for them once everything is finalized not to mention the lawyers who I can guarantee are overseeing this mess and every action done by the KHRC It doesn’t mean it is right. They need to step up to the plate and start acting; this IS ridiculous .

I do like Medina Spirit as well; it’s just unfortunate that he is the smoking gun on this coming to a fork in the road. I think he is a good horse despite the drugs but illegal substance is illegal substance.

The sad fact of the matter is they have dragged feet for so long, Medina Spirit will get to run in California at the Breeders Cup along with the rest of Bob’s runners in his very own safe space.

I applaud NYRA to sticking to their guns and driving this to the goal line. At least someone in all of this has the balls to do so. I wouldn’t be surprised if some phone calls have been made to KY demanding some action.

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the urine sample has already been tested and the results are known under secrecy. KHRC has been watching the NYRA v Baffert Battle and people are scared.

Something needs to be done and it needs to be done soon

[skydy]

@snaffle1987

that’s easy. $$$, lawsuits, and the impending doom a negative result would bring. If this things comes up as a DQ over drugs, which I hope it does, it not only is a black eye to Baffert as a trainer and the sport, but to Churchill Downs and the Derby as well. This could be a major financial implication for them once everything is finalized not to mention the lawyers who I can guarantee are overseeing this mess and every action done by the KHRC It doesn’t mean it is right. They need to step up to the plate and start acting; this IS ridiculous .

Bolding mine.

Thankfully, Churchill Downs got in front of this and banned him from their tracks (and thus the Derby) for 2 years. It seems to me that they are the only ones who will come out of the Derby mess without a “black eye”.

I think everyone agrees that the delay is helping neither morale nor PR. I wonder if they are purposefully waiting until after the Breeder’s Cup to give Baffert less ammunition in court.

Whatever their reasoning, I agree that it looks ridiculous to have the reaction of the Kentucky authorities to this rule violation drawn out for this length of time.

[Vivace1]

Additionally, if the owner had any kind of moral ground they would have changed trainers, but nope. He threw himself behind BB right away. Medina Spirit never has to run at any CDI or NYRA track again if jurisdictions will always do their own thing. Baffert is safe in California and always will be.

[skydy]

He can stay there too, but there are many owners who want their horses to race in the prestigious TC races, and the meets at Belmont, Saratoga, Churchill Downs, etc… Many have already jumped ship.

Baffert will not get the big horses and the publicity he enjoys if he is stuck in California.

[skydy]

@snaffle1987

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the urine sample has already been tested and the results are known under secrecy. KHRC has been watching the NYRA v Baffert Battle and people are scared.

What would be the point in Kentucky holding a urine sample in “secrecy” and why would it have anything to do with the NYRA being told by a judge that they must establish due process hearings before they ban a trainer?

Why would “people” be “scared”? Of what?

[Laurierace]

Chiming in once again to reiterate that when MS is DQed from the Derby and Baffert is suspended in KY and reciprocally suspended everywhere else, the suspension will be very short. Like 3-7 days short. Which is why tracks are going the detrimental to racing route and banning his entries which I personally disagree with, but that is their only shot at a meaningful punishment.

[phantomhorse]

@Laurierace

the suspension will be very short. Like 3-7 days short. Which is why tracks are going the detrimental to racing route and banning his entries which I personally disagree with, but that is their only shot at a meaningful punishment.

Is there an option that would be meaningful punishment but not be detrimental to racing (that is a sincere question, no snark intended). From someone who only casually follows racing, it seems to me that allowing someone to keep getting away with slaps on the wrist for what should be major violations is very detrimental to racing.

[Laurierace]

Well if it weren’t in the Derby and weren’t part of a recent pattern of positive tests for the same trainer, it literally doesn’t get any more minor than this. It’s a totally legal therapeutic medication and would easily fall into the oops category any other time. I just don’t believe that there should be two sets of rules with one set being unwritten, situational rules. Meaning if it’s a DQ in a $5000 claimer it’s a DQ in the Derby ala Maximum Security. If it’s an extremely minor therapeutic medication overage in a $5000 claimer, you don’t make it a two year “detrimental to racing” in the Derby.
What I mean by detrimental to racing is race tracks are private properties and as such they are allowed to decide who does and does not have access to their facilities. Unlike a ruling handed down by the stewards, those are not reciprocal and don’t really have to be based on anything other than “we don’t want you here.”

[skydy]

I can see that there could be potential problems arising from bans by race tracks, but they aren’t banning trainers willy nilly, and overages of drugs are punished in the claimers as well.

Churchill Downs was between a rock and a hard place with the publicity that Baffert created by having so many positive tests and then having one in a Derby horse. That they are interested in keeping the reputation of their biggest race clean is understandable.

Baffert needs better barn management and a vet that pays attention to what he is prescribing. Having horses DQd obviously hasn’t induced Baffert to have his vet or his other employees (those he blames for the positive tests) be more careful. Why should Churchill Downs take another chance on Bob?

I hope that once HISA makes its way through the courts and is implemented, there will be a standardization of the rules and the penalties for breaking them. As things stand currently it’s just a big mess and it’s unfortunate that the race tracks have been left to try to clean it up.

[Lauruffian]

Well, this is…something, I guess. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/254128/bc-to-require-enhanced-testing-of-bafferts-horses

Meanwhile, Medina Spirit is still the official winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

[skydy]

I still don’t get the lack of action regarding the Derby positive. The horse had a substance not allowed on race day confirmed by the split sample.

There is nothing in the rules that allows for exceptions and I don’t see how Baffert could win in court under those circumstances.

Disqualify the horse already.

[Willesdon]

Just out of curiousity, if the BC organisers already have “industry leading” protocols in place, why is it necessary to for BB to have extra special precautions imposed? To me, it suggests the protocols are inadequate.

[Maythehorsebewithme]

I wish I could like this more than once.

[ravenclaw]

In Europe, wouldn’t he have been disqualified a long time ago?

[Where_sMyWhite]

If he was any other horse trained by any other trainer in this country he’d probably have been DQd a long time ago.

[Lauruffian]

It is not a good look for racing. I am relieved so many other entities aren’t waiting around and are taking/have taken some sort of action, but this is absurd. I have been a racing fan for 35+ years, but this is really sticking in my craw more than anything else that has happened over the decades.

Dancer’s Image won the 1968 Kentucky Derby on May 4, and was disqualified for testing positive for Bute on May 7. Three days later.

[WinterTriangle]

@Lauruffian

Dancer’s Image won the 1968 Kentucky Derby on May 4, and was disqualified for testing positive for Bute on May 7. Three days later.

Yes I think I posted about that a week or so ago but if I didn’t, glad you did.

[ASB_Stars]

I haven’t read the filings, so I would be interested to hear what the changes are that Baffert’s counsel is looking for.

NYRA Asks Judge to Deny Changes in Baffert's Complaint

[endlessclimb]

@Laurierace

If it’s an extremely minor therapeutic medication overage in a $5000 claimer, you don’t make it a two year “detrimental to racing” in the Derby.

Sure you do. The implications on racing are entirely different for one versus the other.

You think a local yokel government official doing illegal things is sentenced the same as a senator or representative caught doing the same? No, because the scale is entirely different.