I literally threw my arms up in the air when I saw the headline, like it was a game-winning touchdown for a favorite team. Then I realized I was cheering the disqualification of a horse and thought it very weird–but still cheered.
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Medina Spirit’s Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, was suspended for 90 days and fined $7,500.
Hmm. Can’t help but notice that 90 days extends through the Kentucky Derby, not to mention its prep races. Gotta wonder if perhaps this was to underscore the “you will NOT be at the Derby this year!” mandate.
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I told everyone it doesn’t matter if Jesus anointed Medina Spirit himself, you can’t have betamethasone in your system on race day. Very surprised as to the length of the suspension however. I thought I read the max was 7 days.
Anyway, he certainly will appeal if he hasn’t already so it will be business as usual for the time being.
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The reciprocity by other States will be quite a blow. He won’t be able to race in California or Florida or anywhere else, for 90 days.
I’m glad this is over (except for the appeals.) Someone, Zedan I would guess, is willing to spend a lot of money on attorneys fees, though it is interesting that they haven’t sued Churchill. I didn’t think they would.
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I wonder if the update to the horse in the Derby museum has already been completed? 
If you have never been - just inside the door there’s a large, not quite life sized horse that is painted to match the reigning winner.
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I feel sorry for Medina Spirit in this mess, he was a lovely little horse and didn’t deserve this.
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Yes, this was my take on it as well. Jerry Bailey explained it in the Belmont coverage–if you’re doing 65 in a 55, it is breaking the law and you can be issued a ticket. You can argue the speed limit should be raised to 65, but that doesn’t change the fact that at that snapshot moment in time, you were breaking the law, period.
Regarding the length of the suspension, the BH article details:
As for the sanctions of Baffert, they are in line with a Class C finding but appear to have included the trainer’s four failed drug tests in the 12 months leading up to the Derby as mitigating circumstances. Penalties recommended for Class C for three or more offenses call for a suspension of 30-60 days and a $2,500-$5,000 fine absent mitigating circumstances.
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I understand your point, but the horse wouldn’t have cared one way or the other. If Mandaloun is over in Saudi Arabia jumping for joy at the news he’s been declared the Derby winner, I wanna see footage. 
It is unfortunate for Medina Spirit’s breeder. She only breeds a couple of mares a year, very small time, so it was the thrill of a lifetime for her. Ditto the connections of MS’s sire, Protonico.
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I’m curious if the reciprocity will be honored here in Southern California where Baffert all but walks on water, or if he files an appeal and California tracks give him a pass during the appeal stage.
Is that done? As just a longtime fan, never owner/trainer/anyone with skin in the game, I’m not sure how reciprocity for suspensions (especially with appeals in play) is honored in different states.
I believe that reciprocity is the norm but I don’t know if it is written in stone.I don’t know what will happen in California, it will be interesting to watch. He brings so many horses to the track there, but they could just be transferred to another trainer for the duration of the suspension.
Stronach was waiting for the Kentucky decision to decide if they would be banning him from their tracks. It’ll be interesting to see what they do.
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Time for Stronach to put their money where their mouth is, agreed. If they’re serious about horse welfare, and they certainly make a lot of noise about how much they care, they’ll honor the suspension.
There are other good trainers in SoCal. Sadler, Shireffs, and Mandella, to name three off the bat.
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I find it interesting that in the Bloodhorse article, Baffert’s attorney says that an appeal will be filed immediately and Zedan’s spokesperson says that he doesn’t know whether Zedan will appeal or not.
If I was Zedan I’d let it go. He won’t win (unless he sues Baffert and the Vet, then he might.)
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Reciprocity is through the TRPB I believe so it will be everywhere.
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as usual, the little guy gets the short end.
Wasn’t Baffert already banned from Churchill Downs for two years right after the Derby anyway? Or have I lost track of the twists and turns since then?
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I hope they can still enjoy the knowledge that the horse crossed the line first that day, even if he will not go down as the winner in the record books. Plus I would think it had to raise the profiles on both parties tremendously in the interim.
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I am just a fan as well. @Laurierace and several others here race or have raced, and bred TBs so we can count on them to answer our questions. 
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Yes, he was banned by Churchill until 2024. So far, he has threatened to sue them but hasn’t done so. It’s unlikely that he’d win.
The differences between a track ban and a State racing board ban are explained in the Bloodhorse article.
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He was banned by CDI which only applies at their track. It’s only the bans by a state racing commission that are reciprocal.
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