NYRA Suspends Baffert 1 Year; Eligible To Return In January
The New York Racing Association suspended trainer Bob Baffert for one year Thursday for repeated medication violations.
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The New York Racing Association suspended trainer Bob Baffert for one year Thursday for repeated medication violations.
Horse racing's seeming inability to police itself drew the attention of the federal government in 2020. The result is the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act set to go into effect July 1.
Drug Free Sport International has overseen testing and enforcement with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, both men's and women's pro golf tours and NASCAR.
Zandon, trained by Chad Brown, drew 3-1 odds on Monday and will start from the No. 10 post among 20 horses.
A retired New York State Supreme Court Justice on Wednesday recommended a two-year suspension for Bob Baffert for repeated medication violations after the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer's hearing with the New York Racing Association.
Baffert was also suspended for 90 days by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, California Horse Racing Board, and the New York State Gaming Commission for drug violations in the 2021 Kentucky Derby with the late Medina Spirit.
Racing officials in California, where Baffert is based, have said they will honor the suspension if it is upheld.
Bob Baffert has sued Churchill Downs and track leadership in federal court, seeking to overturn the embattled Hall of Fame trainer's two-year suspension on grounds it violated his due process rights.
Marc A. Guilfoil, director of the KHRC, on Friday sent a letter to Baffert's attorneys saying he did "not find good cause" to stay the rulings.
Medina Spirit was stripped of the victory in last year's Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun was declared the winner after a ruling by state racing stewards on Monday.
An attorney for Bob Baffert believes the Hall of Famer trainer and embattled Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit "will be fully exonerated" after stating to Kentucky racing stewards that the colt's failed drug test for a steroid resulted from a prescribed topical salve rather than an injection.
A necropsy on 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit showed no definitive cause of death.
Medina Spirit, the highly scrutinized Kentucky Derby winner who underwent a series of drug tests to run in the Preakness Stakes, collapsed and died after a workout Monday at Santa Anita.
Trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended for two years by Churchill Downs after an additional drug test of Medina Spirit confirmed the presence of the steroid betamethasone in the Kentucky Derby winner's system.
Trainer Bob Baffert's lawyer says a split-sample test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for the presence of the steroid betamethasone.
After a week dominated by the failed drug test of trainer Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby-winning Medina Spirit, horse racing enjoyed a rare moment to celebrate at the Preakness when unheralded Rombauer gave owners John and Diane Fradkin and trainer Michael McCarthy a victory in their first Triple Crown race.
For all the hype surrounding Medina Spirit coming off his victory at the Kentucky Derby, fellow Bob Baffert-trained Concert Tour was a popular pick to win the Preakness.
Surrounded by a doping controversy, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is favored to win the Preakness at 9-5 following Tuesday's post-position draw.
Despite a failed drug test after the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit will be able to run the Preakness in Baltimore Saturday.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was treated with an antifungal ointment containing the steroid betamethasone that caused the horse to fail a postrace drug test, trainer Bob Baffert said Tuesday.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is headed to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes while trainer Bob Baffert said Monday that he won't attend the race to avoid being a distraction in the wake of scrutiny following the colt's failed postrace drug test.
Bob Baffert could make some unwanted history if Medina Spirit becomes only the second Kentucky Derby winner to be disqualified for a failed drug test.
Churchill Downs has suspended trainer Bob Baffert after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test.
Medina Spirit fought off three challengers in the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby by a half-length on Saturday, making Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the race's 147-year history, with seven victories.
Maybe next year, the Preakness will be run in May and a huge crowd will fill Pimlico Race Course for the second leg of the Triple Crown.
