California managers on April 2 supported the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s suspension of Walk of Fame coach Bob Baffert, a standard practice for racing jurisdictions across the country.
Judgment of reciprocity, do Santa Anita . Park managers Luis Jauregui, Will Meyers and Kim Sawyer and was released on Saturday by the California Horse Racing Commission, reflecting the suspension of KHRC, which Baffert is appealing with a case brought before a hearing official today. April 18. Pursuant to CHRB Rule 1484 (evidence of non-compliance with the permit), the judgment suspends Baffert for 90 days, from April 4 to July 2.
The KHRC suspension was originally slated to take effect from March 8 to June 15, but was delayed until April 4 because of litigation as Baffert pursued an emergency stay and ended was ultimately dismissed by the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 1.
CHRB Rule 1843.3, requires trainer Santa Anita . Park barns are left empty with all signage, colors, and training equipment prior to the start of this period of downtime — and deny trainers access to the grounds of any facility. CHRB-licensed facility — will also be enforced. Daily Racing Form reported April 2 that trainers Sean McCarthy and Tim Yakteen will steer the horses from Baffert’s stable while he serves his suspension, according to Santa Anita officials.
DOWNEY: Court of Appeal dismisses Concern Suspending Pause
Kentucky Managers suspended and fined Baffert while disqualifying Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit from winning the May 1, 2021, Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs after post-race and dissociation testing revealed the presence of the corticosteroid betamethasone, a Class C substance that is banned at any level on race day in the state.
Baffert’s lawyers argued in court that Medina Spirit’s test results showing betamethasone were linked to the foal being treated with Otomax antifungal ointment for a skin problem on its hind legs. Baffert’s lawyers have argued that the KHRC rules for betamethasone do not apply to such topical treatments.
Medina Spirit walks outside Bob Baffert’s barn at Santa Anita . Park
KHRC officials in court disagreed with the argument that Kentucky’s regulations only applied to “betamethasone acetate,” which Baffert’s attorney argued was from the injection and was not found in the sample; and does not apply to “betamethasone valerate,” which they argue was found in Otomax ointment and was the only form found in the test.
In June during a trial in Kentucky, Jennifer Wolsing, KHRC’s general counsel, said the ban on betamethasone “doesn’t distinguish” between creams and injections on the regulator’s list of banned substances.
ANGST & KING: Medina Spirit out of 2021 Kentucky Derby
A statement issued April 2 by 1/ST Racing, the company that operates Santa Anita Park in Southern California and Golden Gate Field in Northern California, along with the San Luis Rey Downs training facility, clarified the requirements for any trainer who may accept horses previously trained by Baffert.
“Due to the judgment of the CHRB, any trainer on the field at Santa Anita Park, the Golden Gate Fields, the San Luis Rey Downs Racecourse, or the Los Alamitos Racecourse who may be the deliverer from the Baffert stables. will have to register stalls for those horses from the Santa Anita racing office or Golden Gate Fields, if applicable, for review and approval,” the statement read. “A change of coach application will also be required to be submitted for races after such a transfer. Horses not transferred to a trainer in California will have to be removed from the field by the 4th of May. 4.”
In accordance with CHRB regulations, as the suspension period lasts more than 60 days, 1/ST Racing stated: “During the suspension period, Baffert will be barred from all CHRB jurisdictions and will not be allowed to enter the jurisdictions of the CHRB. allowed to participate in the training of the horses that had previously been in his care.
“Any trainer who may register stalls prior to handover will be required to fully comply with any applicable restrictions,” the statement read.
EHALT & KING: Messier, The other 3-year-olds in Baffert join the other barns
The key 3-year-olds were transferred from Baffert’s care—Messier , Doppelganger and McLaren Vale left on the West Coast with Yakteen and Bladder joins coach Rodolphe Brisset’s Kentucky chain — due to a separate ban from Churchill Downs Inc., which prohibits his horses from earning qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby or the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. CDI has also suspended the coach from its tracks until mid-2023.
Baffert is contesting that decision in federal court, where a hearing on the preliminary order motion is set for April 15.
A statement released late Saturday by Baffert’s attorney Clark Brewster read: “Bob will respect the CHRB’s preliminary rulings, although he is disappointed that the extremely harsh suspension affects no fair to all of the stable’s hard-working employees Bob believes that, ultimately, and with patience, the system will provide the opportunity to make decisions that are fair, unbiased, and fair full information. “
