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- “I never thought I’d have to be fighting for my reputation and the poor horse’s reputation,” Baffert added.
- “Because of the new regulations the regulators have put, they’re testing these horses at contaminated levels and it’s been a horrible experience.
- Churchill Downs, site of the Kentucky Derby, suspended Baffert following the test and said it would invalidate Medina Spirit’s victory should a second test show the same result.
Famous trainer Bob Baffert is alleging that he and his Kentucky Derby winning horse Medina Spirit are victims of a “cancel culture kind of thing,” after the colt tested positive for the steroid betamethasone.
“It did not happen. That horse has never been treated with [betamethasone],” Baffert said on Fox News. “Actually, it’s a legal therapeutic medicine and the amount that was in it wouldn’t have any effect on the horse anyway. But we don’t … That horse was never treated with that and so that’s the disturbing part of it.”
“I never thought I’d have to be fighting for my reputation and the poor horse’s reputation,” Baffert added. “Because of the new regulations the regulators have put, they’re testing these horses at contaminated levels and it’s been a horrible experience.”
Churchill Downs, site of the Kentucky Derby, suspended Baffert following the test and said it would invalidate Medina Spirit’s victory should a second test show the same result.
“Churchill Downs will not tolerate it,” the statement said. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack.”
“To be clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the winner,” the statement continued.
A substance-related disqualification of Medina Spirit would be the second in Kentucky Derby history, WDRB reported. Dancer’s Image was disqualified in 1968. Medina spirit would be formally disqualified if the horse fails the seconds sample taken at the race — losing $1.86 million in prize money.
Baffert is a record setting, 7-time Kentucky Derby winner.
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Baffert told reporters Sunday he received the news on Friday, saying it “was the biggest punch in the gut, for something I didn’t do,” according to WDRB. Baffert additionally described the suspension as “disturbing” and an “injustice.”
Medina Spirit will be entered into the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, which takes place Saturday.
“We live in a different world now. This America is different,” Baffert told Fox News on Monday. “It was like a cancel culture kind of a thing so they’re reviewing it. I haven’t been told anything. We’re prepared to run.”
Two of Baffert’s horses tested positive last year, but suspensions and sanctions were dropped after a court challenge.
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