Medina Spirit fails drug test

I’m not privy to his business, but I would imagine, given all of the three year olds that are in his hands each year heading into Derby time, that it is a large hit. It’s also arguable that denying him this venue has a detrimental effect on how he is perceived as a trainer at the highest levels.

Now, you can argue that he deserves it, because of his actions and his behavior, but I believe that he’ll have a response to that as well.

The interesting thing is that BB and his “conservative” friends probably brought this on themselves (in a manner of speaking). The recent SC decision stating that cake decorators can say no to whomever they want, for discriminatory reasons, applies to CDI also.

They can say no to whomever they want. The SC says so.

BB has been suing and badmouthing CDI ever since MS was disqualified. He has been doing it loudly and often, even after losing multiple times in court. Sound like anyone we know? How’s that been working for any of them?

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I don’t know if he deserves the ban or not. CDI obviously thinks so. I can see why they are offended by some of his rants, and his statements in court.

Baffert and Zedan worked around the ban and got Taiba into the 2022 Derby by switching the horse to Yakteen. This year Baffert did the same with Reincarnate. The horse ran with Yakteen as trainer, so there is a work around, it’s just hard on the ego and requires some inconvenient paperwork and moving of horses to different stalls.

I agree, the public perception isn’t good. In court however, he has to prove a tangible loss, and I think that will be difficult. He argued that in the NYRA case and it didn’t fly.

Baffert trainees have run in (and won) a lot of races this year so it will be tough for him to argue that people aren’t bringing him horses because of CDI.

I hope he doesn’t complain in public and lets his attorney speak for him.

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His earnings this year so far are $6,670,000 so it’s hard to argue that CDI is killing his business.

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It isn’t always about the dollars and cents. And you have no idea what his income would have been had he been able to have Derby starters. I’m sure that there is money for him in the purchases he makes for clients. So, the ability to have a bunch of fancy two year olds from the sales, as an example.

The black eye to his reputation also has significant value, IMHO. Now, you will say he earned it, and they will say that it was over the top.

And there’s the rub. In court, what “might have been” can’t be calculated. Damages have to be shown, and his high dollar owners (Zedan being the most obvious) haven’t left him.

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He’s lucky that they ever let him back. He had positives in their 2 premier races. They could have washed their hands of him and given him a 10 year ban. Not to mention the fact the he dragged them thru court time and again over idiotic arguments. He’d better just keep his fat mouth shut for a change.

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Jeepers, he’s exhausting.

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Ego doesn’t allow wealthy venture capitalists, from whatever country, to become used to hearing the word “no”.

They don’t understand that “Money can’t buy me love” , not every time.

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This article should scare anyone to death who is involved with race horses. Some idiot is calling medications such as Gastrogard and Adequan “unnecessary dangerous drugs”. They have put in charge people who wouldnt know the ass end of a horse from their own face. Nothing good will come of this.

My take on this–
I expect that is legalese, as the dividing line between OTC and prescription drugs is nominally one of safety, or ability to cause harm if not properly used.
It looks to me like the point the regulatory authorities are making is that there is no medical record documentation of what the problem was, what signs were observed, tests performed, what the diagnosis was, and therefore why the treatment administered was given/prescribed.

there’s the implication that this was a more or less assembly line practice–that the DVM just went down the shedrow, merrily injecting and dispensing according to the wishes of he horses’ connections.

That’s just shitty medicine, IMHO.

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Are you aware that the California VMB has at present no fewer than 4 members who are veterinarians?

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Universal Citation: CA Bus & Prof Code § 4022 (2022)

  1. “Dangerous drug” or “dangerous device” means any drug or device unsafe for self-use in humans or animals, and includes the following:

(a) Any drug that bears the legend: “Caution: federal law prohibits dispensing without prescription,” “Rx only,” or words of similar import.

(b) Any device that bears the statement: “Caution: federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a ____,” “Rx only,” or words of similar import, the blank to be filled in with the designation of the practitioner licensed to use or order use of the device.

© Any other drug or device that by federal or state law can be lawfully dispensed only on prescription or furnished pursuant to Section 4006.

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That doesnt say much for those vets if they are calling medications like Gastrogard and Adequan “unnecessary” and “dangerous”.

Its not shitty medicine. 90% of all racehorses have ulcers; there is no reason at all to have to wait until a horse shows obvious ulcer signs to give gastrogard. Omeprazole is not a prescription item, only Gastrogard. There are other omeprazole medications that are not prescription. Omeprazole as well as Adequan are used as preventative. No one wants to wait until you have an obvious problem to use them. This whole thing is getting ridiculous, but it is California.

Did you bother reading the citation from California law I posted? They are using the legal definition.

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If the DVM had bothered to keep medical records, he could have easily indicated that a given horse was exhibiting clinical signs consistent with EGUS, and therefore prescribed Gastrogard.
Alternatively, the trainers could have purchased the OTC version themselves.
“Gastrogard” is what was noted in the brief records submitted, so that indicates to the regulatory agency that it was indeed the prescription drug.

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The medical records that my vets keep are the medications prescribed. If a vet prescribes Gastrogard then thats the medical record. California is screwing itself and killing racing which is what it seems they are trying to do anyway. Thank god my vets have a brain in their head. Its no wonder vets arent wanting to get into equine veterinary medicine anymore.