Otomax is used in horses and cats as such treatment. that is fact. it’s just most commonly used for dogs.
Regardless; a trainer of such a prestigious stable and such vets should be well aware of the products being used and when.
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Exactly. If this were a first-time thing with Baffert, instead of the fifth or sixth within the last two years, I might be able to accept it.
He’s banking on previous history of getting away with the “environmental contamination” excuse. Why stray from what’s been proven to work?
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Does anyone have any ideas of the possibility of reaching the blood levels he tested for through topical use with Otomax?
I was curious about how a topical containing betamethasone would be absorbed and detected in a horse’s bloodstream. I found an answer in this article and the answer is there is no data this vet has found on topical use.
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You guys can try to find an honest explanation, and quite frankly, it might even be true this time.
But here’s the thing: in a couple months we’ll be doing this all over again. “Aw shucks, little corticosteroid-laced porquipines are sneaking into my barn at night and pricking my horses.
Here’s a picture of one waddling out of the barn. I guess I’m supposed to run my stable like an exterminator business now.”
This is the pattern of someone who is over-reliant on therapeutic medications and procedures, at very least. He is pushing withdrawal times and thresholds of legal, therapeutic medications. He’s probably doing more, too, though that is a serious accusation I can’t back up with anything other than my own experience with individuals who operate similarly.
Stop slapping him on the wrist. Stop giving him a microphone. Give him a real penalty and get him out of the limelight. The majority of his owners aren’t going to leave the sport in defense of him, but the sport stands to lose a lot if this crap keeps up.
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Baffert certainly is the king of spin. Headlines in many media outlets quote him a saying Medina Spirit was treated with a skin ointment. Anyone not in the know would accept that as plausible and move on.
Regarding an appeal, he likely will use this as an excuse. Since it’s not known how this topical would test, he can claim he can’t be guilty because of the lack of data. If you can’t prove it was (or not) the topical, you have no case.
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IMO this makes BB look like a fool, after denial, denial, and other statements. And hightlights the fact that there is some real oversight missing in his process. I agree with Texarkana’s last paragraph.
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Note to CDI, Stronach, NYRA, and racing commissions across the country:
Bob Baffert is not a bank or General Motors or Delta Airlines. He is not too big to fail.
Jerry Hollendorfer must be sick to his stomach watching what Baffert gets away with.
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Maybe Medina Spirit licked the entire tube of Otomax dry to result in his positive test 
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According to what I read, this was applied for nearly a month prior to the Derby, with the last day before the Derby. Thats nearly 30 days of applying topical betamethazone, up to the DAY BEFORE THE DERBY. I dont care how stupid he plays, a ten year old can read what it says on the tube. The gig is up. No one else to blame, no other conspiracy theories to hope for. The horse has to come down. Now what happens to him, I dont know. Before I didnt know if he was a cheat, or just stupid. Im leaning towards stupid.
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That is 100% not the way it works. All the data they need is in the pee sample. If the split confirms it he is done. It doesn’t make a difference how it got in there.
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Now I’m curious… was this medication found in a urine or blood test?
What vet would not be aware that Otomax contained betamethosone? Surely there was some OTC stuff they could have tried first? My vet suggested a dog shampoo that TSC carried and it worked better on cannon crud than the benzol-peroxide shampoo (only available from a vet) from a previous vet.
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It doesn’t matter how it got in the horse. It’s there and it’s not allowed to be there. 
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That is such a good idea! Love that your daughter is giving back
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Yes, I understand that. What I’m saying is he may feign ignorance to argue like he did with the Arkansas Racing Commission. This is what he said after the hearing:
Baffert called the two-day hearing “very educational.”
“I didn’t realize how easily you can get contaminated,” he told the AP. “The conversation needs to be revisited on the testing procedures. You can just ruin somebody’s reputation and their livelihood. I’m just worried that it can happen again unless they change something. Hopefully, the science will get better.”
He hopes the “science” will get better, but seems to take no responsibility for not knowing the rules. So, he still doesn’t know applying a topical that includes betamethasone will test?
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How much more exciting would racing be if Bob Baffert wasn’t the favorite to win each time? They split up Ma Bell and communication didn’t fall apart. The racing world would survive his expulsion — and maybe even thrive.
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He wasn’t even close to being the favorite, he was 12-1
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My guess is urine or both.
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I was referring to the trainer and not the horse… Bob Baffert can be considered a favorite because of his record and the number of horses he enters.
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