Speaking for myself (not the “two of you”) I read it 5 days ago.
Do you understand the work that is being done to address the problems that affect TB racing, including the Baffert situation? You don’t seem to understand that no one is happy with how the Kentucky Derby betamethasone positive has been handled.
You think he should be arrested and imprisoned?
Your “pot meet kettle” makes no sense. I re-read the Keeneland thread to see if I was unkind or unwelcoming “no matter who the poster is on the forum” and I don’t see that it is true.
I don’t consider questioning a post that makes no sense to me as being “unkind.”
I suppose I should leave that judgement up to others.
A million other things could have happened too.
Your scenario seems very unlikely based on the way DQ’s have always been handled in racing. A DQ in a single race in Kentucky–even an important one–has no bearing on whether or not the trainer is allowed to race in other states, or if he would be allowed to race horses months later.
In fact in the entire history of horseracing, a single DQ has NEVER barred a trainer from continuing to train and race horses.
The fact that you can imagine something happening is a very long way from making it so. [See previous threads cited above.]
You know what I was implying. Don’t act dumb. This should’ve been dealt with swiftly back in June. Instead; it is now approaching December and not a single conclusion has come, Bob and his stable continue to race (although props to those tracks who have enforced increase scrutiny of his horses), and Mr. Untouchable continues on his merry way.
Carry on
The issue, Skydy is you question everyone and anyone who has an opinion different than yours.
And you continue on your harassing and unkind ways. You are not a nice person and your responses to me and others’ on this board have proven your ways. You continue to sit here and ridicule someone who has a very passionate opinion on the welfare and drug issues (and not a wrong one!) in this sport for having an opinion, when you yourself refuse to look in the mirror.
Again, put me on block and maybe not seeing my responses will ease your blood pressure.
I think it’s very clear that I understand that there is work being done to address the problems affecting racing. If you think otherwise than you are misinformed.
My point is I don’t think enough is being done. And Bob Baffert’s case is a poster child for it. Not just his positive test but when other racing jurisdictions (NYRA) try to impose sanctions against him for his wrongdoings; he is never held accountable and they are overridden. There are people in racing trying to do good and improve everyday; and then they are overshadowed or even set-down for trying to do right. At least we can say NYRA had the balls to try and do something. Good on them.
Do I think Bob Baffert is an inherently bad guy? Not necessarily. The fact that his horses’ are testing positive proves that his management and oversight is lapse. It doesn’t prove that he isn’t potentially drugging horses behind the scenes to get potential advantages(maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. Unless a group of grooms/insiders come forward with a smoking gun) At this point, the only conclusions we have is that his management is lapse on proper withdrawal periods and he is cutting it too close and putting himself at risk for positive tests. His repercussions for doing so have not been stiff enough to enforce change in his stable and he has become a repeat offender. His case is a poster-child for the mishandling of positive tests (on big and small stages) and that there is a lack of follow-through on cases such as this and a lack of stiff penalties for such infractions.
Do I think change is coming to the sport? I do. But I can’t pass judgement on a racing authority that has yet to take the helm. Talk to me two years from now; and I will have a more honest opinion on HISA. I have faith in that organization and I hope that the organization exceeds all expectations.
But I also think this most recent, high profile case is putting further black eyes on the sport and the lack of follow-through on this is inexcusable.
Yes, they could have. But while my scenario seems unlikely; it’s still a plausible scenario of what could have played out if swift action was taken in this case. Again, we don’t know unless it’s happened. And Bob being held responsible for his actions this year has yet to happen. Which is the problem.
Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning???
Frankly, I’ve had many discussions with skydy (via messages) where she and I differed in opinion and they were good discussions. No harassing, no ridiculing, nothing other than discussion.
Perhaps you need to take a deep breath and not take offense when someone asks you a question (and more than skydy has asked you questions that you’ve not agree with) instead of flouncing off in a huff.
Oh, and if someone asks you a question, try answering it…
@snaffle1987 It’s also not a wise move to keep lying about your credentials, especially when you’ve been caught out multiple times.
“You’re not a nice person…”
“And yet you continue on your harassing and unkind ways.”
Snaffle… the only one I see being unkind and harassing here is you.
@LaurieB explained in her post why your scenario was not only not plausible, but impossible under the current rules. We have to deal with reality, not a fantasy world where longstanding issues or ineffective rules can be solved or changed overnight. It just doesn’t work that way.
Most everyone would have been pleased if Medina Spirit had been DQd as soon as the split result came in. He wasn’t. He still may be DQd. Again no one is happy about how this has been handled.
Meanwhile, everyone who is interested is doing what they can to support change, reading the proposed rules and listening to the opinions of people that are actually in the industry (I’ve found TDN Writers Room to be very interesting.) Complaining that the proposed changes aren’t happening overnight isn’t helpful.
In your posts that are all about Baffert you never mention that he is not allowed to enter horses at Churchill Downs for 2 years or receive Derby points. The gentlemen on this week’s “Writers Room” speculated that Baffert’s lawyers haven’t sued CD because they know they have a poor chance of winning. We’ll see.
Noticing the gaps in your knowledge and understanding of TB racing and breeding, and the conflicting information you give about your experience with race horses, does not make me unkind (I am reading your words and trying to make sense of them) nor does it make unkind the other people here who have commented on your lack of a cohesive narrative.
There is nothing wrong with being passionate about reform, but “passion” without education will not effect change.
And this is proving to be a considerable, at the moment, fly in the ointment, for Corniche who is a likely candidate for 2YO of the year. He’s currently trained by BB so cannot acquire KD points nor is eligible for the KD starting gate. His record is currently 3 for 3 with a maiden win, winning the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita and the BC Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar. Even if he were to switch trainers just before the KD, he’d loose valuable KD points.
Currently he’s getting some downtime with a decision pending. Currently BB is the trainer and he’s stabled SA.
I don’t have the current owners (Speedway Stables) on speed dial like some other readers may have but if Corniche was my horse, I’d be searching for another trainer pronto rather than hoping the court wrangling goes in BB’s favor. BB has not much in hand if the Medina Spirit DQ is upheld if he tries to go to court to overturn the CDI decision that no horse trained by a suspended trainer can accumulate points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
There was an interesting discussion about this on the TDN program. Apparently Speedway Stables consists of 9+ owners. It’ll be interesting to see if they can agree on how to move forward.
I agree with you about seeking a new trainer. Even if Bob B does succeed in getting through and around this, it will take time. Unless, of course, they find a way to have a Judge tell CDI that they cannot suspend him until the last test is run, and BB is found at fault, and that it is unfair and prejudicial to not allow his trainees to accumulate points, under those circumstances. At least, that’s how I would hope to play it, if I was in his position.
Then again, that ain’t happening!
Me? Even if that is how I’d play it, would I want to risk a nice prospect as Corniche (and he’s not the only colt currently being trained by BB that won’t be acquiring KD points) not garnering points?
What do you do? Keep entering these colts in KD point races and hope CDI is overturned? Don’t enter them in KD point races and say the heck with it? Move your colt to a different trainer so the issue is moot?
I know what I’d do… trainer shopping on speed dial 
I think the reason that BB would be unsuccessful in a lawsuit is that Churchill Downs is privately owned and has the right to exclude any individual from their property, as long as it isnot due to race, creed, etc.
No matter what Kentucky horse racing does, suspension or not, Churchill Downs apparently has the right to exclude him.
It would take a change of private property rights law that would affect all private property owners in Kentucky, for BB to overturn the Churchill Downs ban…
I’m sure his attorneys are looking for a loophole, but it’s a big ask to try to get around that law.
I agree with you, and I do not think that BB will be successful.
I do question whether even a company that owns multiple tracks should be permitted to independently censure a trainer, arbitrarily. Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist over the vernacular, my point is that unless there are specific rules in place that say “you do this, we do this” I wonder how reasonable it is? You can make the rules for your own “store”, but with public betting, etc. being a part of the business, I sure wish that there were specific rules in place for any kind of violations.
I am not a BB fan- far from it. But, without rules, and a process, this isn’t something I can completely understand.
They can (no attorney at this keyboard) say if your horse is DQd under blah-blah circumstances, they can then say you can’t get points or race in a race or not at our tracks or whatever they like as long as the reasons are clear and would apply to all trainers (ie, don’t get to exclude just one trainer by name).
Honest question- have they ever banned another trainer, and stated that horses trained by that trainer couldn’t earn points to compete in the Derby (or any other race)?
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