For sake of discussion let’s assume BB is juicing and that I why he is so successful which for the record, I do not agree with. His owners are giving him horses because of that, not in spite of that. Why do you think Scott Lake had a million horses at one time? He was allegedly juicing, that assertion I do agree with and people couldn’t throw horses at him fast enough. Owners know what they are getting themselves in to, they have no right to complain afterwards.
That seems likely. However, Baffert has shown himself as willing to give substances to horses in the past ie thyroxine et al, so it is obvious that he will try for any advantage. He had to know after the first few died that it was his fault. After the investigation he stopped giving thyroxine to his horses, none of whom required it for veterinary purposes, et voila, they stopped dropping dead.
I keep reading that testing the second sample will take “weeks”. Why? It only took 8 days to get the results of the first one.
I was coming here to ask this same question. Why can’t the split be done in something resembling the same time frame once the owner/trainer has made the split request. Blood isn’t re-drawn so only real ‘work’ shipping.
On a side note, went to Paulick Report whose poll was if should Medina Spirit be allowed to run in the Preakness. Despite my feelings to the contrary I had to be thinking ‘yes’ as the split results are not yet done.
Now I can’t find it but saw somewhere that the lab used for the first test had not been certified at the time the testing was done… that left me scratching my head.
Since I appear to be out of the ‘drugging’ loop… I thought ‘juicing’ was primarily PED and I’m not sure I thought something like betamethasone was a PED (although yeah, I guess if the joints don’t hurt, the horse performs better).
Whole thing is a mess
I think that was an issue during one of his previous drug violations, not this one.
Not sure about certification but no longer under contract which is just plain stupid.
Thanks @Laurierace. This is what I was thinking of and lost a little of the contract vs certification in my memory. When I went hunting for it again, couldn’t find it.
Still begs the question why a lab not under contract was used for testing. I would think that would just open the door to further appeals although the split is not done at the same lab as the original test.
This is for the freaking Kentucky Derby! There is just no excuse for using a company that is not under contract would be used for something like this, especially because it begs the question, “why aren’t they under contract?”
This is all about transparency, and keeping everyone on a level playing field, and then you throw this into the equation?
No bueno!
OK, so now he’s just stupid? Baffert reveals the possible source of the betamethasone…
Yeah, ointment for dermatitis … yeah, that’ll work - we can’t use jimpson weed in the feed or salonpas patches or cough syrup as excuses anymore so ointment for dermatitis should do the trick…
Can’t decide if or makes more sense…
Calling total BS on this.
Here’s the thing, for me. Is Baffert so arrogant that he believes he can just keep doing this stuff, and get away with it? That’s hard for me to believe, because I don’t want to think that he is that stupid. But then, is this stuff really happening TO him? Hard to believe because it is all so beyond the pale.
He still loses, regardless of the reason, if the second blood test spins the horse. Of course, I still have a serious issue with him winning his second triple crown, given the fact that the horse shouldn’t have been qualified for the Derby, if he didn’t actually have the points after the DQ.
But hey, what do I know?
Yeah, after he’s had public tantrums on Fox News and thrown virtually everyone under the bus except his wife and son and the owners who keep sending him horses.
“Oh yeah…I forgot about the diaper rash!”
Go Maryland! Seriously scrutinizing Bafferts entries- it’s about time!
At least someone is standing up to BB. From Myracehorse an hour ago
Over the past several days we have been in talks with Spendthrift Farm and we have decided that based on the current uncertainty of the Bob Baffert situation, as a fiduciary to our owners, we will move the horses currently in training with Bob Baffert to Richard Mandella. The three horses that will be moved are Laforgia, Forbidden Kingdom, and Infinite Empire.
We do have another horse, a Distorted Humor colt we recently purchased from OBS April that we were also intending to send to Bob Baffert and no decision on this colt or any future horses have been made at this time. In the two years we have been with Bob Baffert we have been impressed by his horsemanship, passion for the game and love of the horse. The current situation is unfortunate, and we hope through due process things work out favorably for Bob Baffert, but in the short term we are confident this is the right decision for the stable and our owners. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Draw for the Preakness
I just looked at the description of the Distorted Humor colt (Silverpocketsfull 19) and trainer is now shown as TBD.
For MRH, as all their horses are shares in either an ownership or lease agreement they do have a fiduciary responsibility toward the shareholders. A risk to keep using a trainer that keeps getting busted and, in at least a few cases already, loosing both stakes placings and loss of purse monies.
I do believe, to a certain extent, their comments about BB’s passion for the game (note the use of the word ‘game’) although I have to believe that someone who truly loves the horse that this cr*p wouldn’t be continuing.
So Baffert went from “the horse never had it” to “it was in the ointment”. Just wow. What a sloppy operation he runs if that is true.
This article is clearer about the lab contract: https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/247558/khrc-approves-move-of-states-drug-testing-to-uk-lab
The Colorado lab is still under contract through June or July, then they are switching to a different lab for various reasons listed. Not that other things might be prompting it, but it sounds like a fairly normal provider switch.
Over the past several days we have been in talks with Spendthrift Farm and we have decided that based on the current uncertainty of the Bob Baffert situation, as a fiduciary to our owners, we will move the horses currently in training with Bob Baffert to Richard Mandella.
Good. I hope more of his owners move their horses. Maybe Baffert can hire a middle school student to read his medication labels. Or that can be Bode’s job.
If I had a horse, I wouldn’t be sending it to him. Even if all of his excuses are true, he’s too sloppy with his stable management.
Very wealthy folks who don’t care that much about the purse money do care about their reputations, and don’t like to look foolish. I expect this will affect his business.