A day after a federal judge dismissed coach Bob Baffert’s lawsuit against Churchill Downs Inc., CEO Bill Carstanjen and board chairman Alex Rankin, over the decision to suspend Racing coach The company’s Hall of Fame is based in Louisville, Ky. from its tracks, the company released a statement saying it was satisfied with the court’s decision.
The statement also notes that in the coming weeks, the company will announce its decision on Baffert’s two-year suspension that is scheduled for the remainder of the current term. Churchill Downs meeting, ending July 3.
When the company announced this current suspension in June 2021, it said it “reserved the right to extend Baffert’s suspension if there were further violations in any racing jurisdiction.”
The statement released by the CDI on Thursday is as follows in its entirety.
A federal lawsuit filed by Bob Baffert against Churchill Downs Inc. and two of its key officials were dismissed on May 24 by a Louisville judge.
Churchill Downs (Inc.) is pleased that the court has accepted our petition for summary judgment in the civil action brought by Bob Baffert against our company, the CEO, and the chairman of the board. administration, settle in our favor the final remaining claim, just as the court ruled in our case. support all of his previous claims. Although (Baffert) could choose to file a groundless appeal, this completes the seemingly endless, arduous and unnecessary proceedings instigated by Mr.
Our actions to suspend Mr. Baffert after Medina’s Spirit was confirmed positive for a banned substance on race day, coupled with his long history of drug violations, were taken in the best interest. of protecting the integrity of horse racing. More than ever, participants and operators in this industry have an individual and collective responsibility to take all reasonable steps to protect our equestrians and people, and refuse any practice that jeopardizes that mission.
We are encouraged that the Drug and Anti-Doping and Drug Administration (ADMC) Program of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has come into effect this month, which will allow Unified rules govern the industry and speed up both testing and adjudication. History has created confusing delays and threatens our fans’ trust and confidence.
As we stated when we suspended Mr. Baffert in June 2021, we reserve the right to extend his suspension and will announce our decision at the end of the original two-year suspension. . This U.S. district court ruling in our favor is a victory in our ongoing actions and unwavering commitment to protecting the safety of our equestrians and people. we.
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
