You and me both.
4 Likes
All horses that die on California tracks are required to have a necropsy.
4 Likes
I’m not sure if Teflon Bob can come back from this one.
Even if/when we get the necropsy results saying nothing suspicious was in the horse’s system, the public isn’t going to forget this story and the pressure will be ON.
9 Likes
An arrhythmia itself isn’t something that can be found on a necropsy. It simply means an abnormal heart rhythm that doesn’t pump blood well enough to sustain life. There are numerous things that could cause it, from congenital anomalies to metabolic abnormalities to drugs, toxins, etc… some, but not all, of which could be detected with necropsy and toxicology.
3 Likes
This article (from June) republished today details the issues surrounding Baffert and includes pretty detailed information about his ability to get around the rules. It notes his horses have a higher death rate per thousand than any other trainer. Worth reading again.
7 Likes
Exactly right. Conspiracy theories fall apart here - as it would not be in anyone’s best interests for the poor horse to drop dead on the track. It does happen - regardless of who is training or who is riding. I remember stupid conspiracies and accusations when Eric Lamaze’s show jumper Hickstead collapsed and died in the ring in front of a crowd just after he had finished a jumping round.
This past spring, I had a show pony yearling tied in the aisle, waiting for the vet to arrive to draw blood for his Coggins test and do his health cert so he could head to California the next week to be with a trainer. I stepped into the tack/laundry room to get some brushes to clean him up, heard some sudden scrambling… ran back to him (about 20 ft.) as he was leaning back on the lead shank, eyes rolled upward, seizing and shaking… I got him untied and held his head up so he would not hit it as he fell to the mat, starting that frantic sideways galloping… until he stopped.
Necropsy showed an aortic rupture. 
14 Likes
The statistics for California are here. Page 25 https://www.paulickreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CHRB-Annual-Report-2018-19.pdf
and here page 26 http://www.chrb.ca.gov/CHRBDocuments/annual_reports/2020%20_annual_report.pdf
So sorry for your colt and that you had to witness it. Heart-breaking. 
5 Likes
I’m sorry about your pony. 
4 Likes
(Sorry, missed the posts above.)
So sorry to hear about your yearling!
That’s what bothers me about a lot of the comments I’m reading … I realize Baffert has a sketchy history and it’s very important they go over the horse with a fine-toothed comb to look for any possible cause … but people already saying he “killed” Medina Spirit doesn’t sit right with me, because it’s unfortunately not all that uncommon for a healthy-appearing, well-cared-for horse to die suddenly, and saying that Medina Spirit’s death was due to drugs or other abusive treatment without the necropsy findings implies that the owners of other horses that die suddenly are also assumed to be at fault.
ETA… $&”# autocorrect. AFAIK Jimmy Buffett is not a horse trainer.
6 Likes
Thanks for posting those stats. You do have to look at his entire career to get a better picture.
At least 74 horses have died in Baffert’s care in his home state of California since 2000, more than all but two of hundreds of trainers in the state, according to a Post analysis of data and public records. But when factoring in the number of races run, Baffert’s horses have died at the highest rate of the 10 trainers who have had the most horse deaths.
The majority of the deaths in Baffert’s care are attributed to breakdowns, though others have died suddenly without explanation and some of the horses suffered illness — including his most recent death, Noodles, in May where pneumonia was the suspected cause. The deadliest period came between 2000 and 2005, when 34 of Baffert’s horses in California died. Nine died in 2000, all but one from breakdowns.
4 Likes
And that would be karma.
6 Likes
Well, that is just awful- I am so sorry for you!
This is the last thing Baffert would want to see happen at this point. There will be those who are just sure that he is somehow responsible. On the other hand, the owner of the horse is a quite sympathetic character. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.
I still think that the legal play is going to be showing the difference in the drugs (injected VS topical) and attempting to spin it on welfare of the horse vs attempting to do something illegal.
Yes, he still had it in his system. No bueno!!
1 Like
Not if he takes us all down with him.
5 Likes
True. PETA and that Horse Racing Wrongs asshat will be having a field day with this. Never mind that it could have happened in the stall while the horse munched hay. Racing will get the blame.
5 Likes
It doesn’t even have to be associated with exercise. Scat Daddy was being led to his turnout paddock when he collapsed and died of a rupture.
5 Likes
I am so sorry - that is heartbreaking!
1 Like
Pretty much sums it up.
Remember Swale?
7 Likes
I was just thinking of him when I read this today- even a similar color.
1 Like
