Nice to see that MRH had joined the pledge.
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Didn’t Baffert want one of his grooms (or other employees) to lie and say he was responsible for one of the drug positives? I think it was about muffins or other baked goods that had poppy seeds in them. Something like that. The employee refused to do it because it wasn’t true.
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Yes.
Some people in the racing industry aren’t convinced of the reasoning presented here by Peter Miller. https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/peter-miller-taking-temporary-hiatus-from-training/
because of his history of not following the rules.
They think that the banning of trainers by race tracks, as well as the coming of HISA is having an effect on trainers with records of repeated rule breaking.
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Many people would say “good riddance” if Miller decided to retire.
Hopefully he’ll attend some anger management therapy sessions while he’s out…remember when he got hammered for verbally abusing female riders?
He’s not really retiring. He’s going to be “in an advisory position and will remain as owner”. He seems to be trying to keep his trainers license from possibly being yanked and his horses being banned at Stronach tracks, by not officially being the trainer. I wonder how that will work out.
Reminds me of Bernie Traurig dropping his USEF membership when Safe Sport came on the scene.
Oh I know it’s not actual retirement. Just a break of sorts. Agree that there’s a lot of skepticism regarding Miller’s public explanation that he’s trying to avoid burnout.
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I guess the owners think it’s worth risking and that Baffert’s KD rights and his horses’ points will be reinstated in court.
I believe Speedway has a couple of the “Avengers” among its number, Kumin among them.
Baffert has known for quite awhile that he has been banned by Churchill Downs. He’s taken no legal action. It will be difficult for him to argue in front of a judge that being banned will damage him and that an injunction is needed ASAP since he’s waited for so long. He still (as of now) has not taken the issue to court.
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Dont forget he also had Gamine dq’ed in the Kentucky Oaks the year before for a positive test betamethasone. He was fined, but I think the fact that he has had a medication positive in Churchill’s 2 most televised races has just about given Churchill all the heartburn they could possibly want with him. Excuses or not.
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I get what everyone is saying, I really do.
However, I just do not see BB going quietly into the night. I really tend to believe that he has been advised to work this in a certain order, and he does want/need to get back into Churchill sooner than later. He has some serious legal firepower in the attorneys who are repping him.
I guess we shall see!
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It will be interesting, that’s for sure.
I enjoy looking back on the Keeneland and Fasig Tipton sales, looking at favorites and seeing where they are now and with which trainers they ended up. Several went to Baffert to train.
I remembered this as a fun thread about the 2020 FT and Keeneland TB yearling sales, September Yearling Sales 2020 and it was fun until you posted several instances of incorrect information, were given a kindly explanation that you were incorrect, and you decided to go on the offensive and to accuse me and @LaurieB of being “hateful” “critical” “internet bullies”.
Anyone who reads the aforementioned thread will see that I was happy, welcoming, and kind, and that @LaurieB was as well.
The Baffert situation is of interest and concern for most people who enjoy racing. You are the only one here belittling other posters and name calling.
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Baffert’s attorney says that it’s the ointment. But does that really matter?
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To me, it doesn’t matter…
Betamethasone is a prohibited substance, full stop.
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Precisely.
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Sleight of hand: not an injection but rather an ointment. Just a distraction from the two positive tests for a prohibited substance. It might, however, make it easier for BB to shift blame onto some unsuspecting stable hand, even though, as trainer, he is the person responsible for the horse and all aspects of care and training and responsible for the people who work for him.
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No question that it’s illegal, or that MS had it in his system. I think that they are going to try and spin this to intent, and see how muddy they can make the legal waters.
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