Dirty Cheating Bob Baffert gets 2 years DONT COME MONDAY

[Thomass]

Wow, the yanks have finally had enough of the dirty cheat Bobs Baffert..

The Dirty Derby cheat gets 2 years for producing the Kentucky Derby winner...DIRTY

It was too much for Churchill Downs to stomach after CONSTANT drug violations over the years..

Good riddance 

[aquaman]

Great trainer, bad decision.

[Chief Stipe]

Only been banned by Churchill Downs so far.  No doubt Baffert can afford to lodge an appeal.

[Chief Stipe]

Churchill Downs bans Bob Baffert after 2nd positive drug test for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit

PUBLISHED WED, JUN 2 20214:15 PM EDTUPDATED AN HOUR AGO

KEY POINTS

• Churchill Downs Racetrack suspended horse trainer Bob Baffert for two years after attorneys said Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit had failed a second drug test for a banned steroid.
• The suspension means that no horse trained by Baffert or by Bob Baffert Racing Stables can race at any track owned by Churchill Downs Inc. through the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.
• That meet includes the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown.

 

 

The company that operates Churchill Downs Racetrack on Wednesday suspended horse trainer Bob Baffert for two years, just hours after attorneys revealed that his Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit had failed a second drug test for the banned steroid betamethasone.

The suspension means that no horse trained by him or by Bob Baffert Racing Stables can race at any track owned by Churchill Downs Inc. through the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

 

That meet includes the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown.

 

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission officials have yet to rule on whether to overturn Medina Spirit’s victory in the Derby because of the two failed tests.

Baffert was temporarily suspended in mid-May by New York racing officials, effectively blocking Medina Spirit or other Baffert horses from racing Saturday on Long Island in the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of the Triple Crown.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs, cited Baffert’s prior history of failed drug tests by horses in announcing the two-year ban on the trainer, whose seven Derby wins are the most of any trainer.

Baffert has had five horses fail drug tests this year alone.

 

Carstanjen also took a shot a Baffert for floating the idea that Medina Spirit only had betamethasone in its system because of an antifungal ointment that was applied to the horse.

“CDI has consistently advocated for strict medication regulations so that we can confidently ensure that horses are fit to race and the races are conducted fairly,” Carstanjen said in a statement.

“Reckless practices and substance violations that jeopardize the safety of our equine and human athletes or compromise the integrity of our sport are not acceptable and as a company we must take measures to demonstrate that they will not be tolerated,” Carstanjen said.

 

Bob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, stands near the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 2021.

Bryan Woolston | Reuters

“Mr. Baffert’s record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby,” the CEO said.

“Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility.” 

Churchill Downs Inc. said it reserved the right to extend Baffert’s suspension “if there are additional violations in any racing jurisdiction.”

Baffert on May 9 revealed that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone, a steroid used for therapeutic purposes in horses, in a sample taken the day of its Derby win a week earlier. Baffert said 21 picograms of the drug were found in the sample.

The drug, typically used to treat pain and swelling in a horse’s joints, is legal for use in Kentucky.

But any trace of it on race day in the state is grounds for disqualification if a second test confirms it was in the blood on that day.

On Wednesday, lawyers for Medina Spirit’s owner, Amr Zedan, and Baffert announced that the second test of a blood sample had also found betamethasone.

Clark Brewster, the attorney for the Zedan, told CNBC that officials are allowing the Medina Spirit team to have another lab analyze a third sample from the horse.

That test, Brewster said, could determine whether there are chemicals that would support Baffert’s claim that the betamethasone may have come from a topical ointment known as Otomax, and not from an injection.

Brewster noted that picogram is just a trillionth of a gram.

“Hopefully they will make a reasonable judgment,” Brewster said, referring to the review of the drug test results by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

“I think there will be unanimity on the subject that this is an infinitesimal amount that could not have affected the race,” the lawyer said.

Marty Irby, executive director of the advocacy group Animal Wellness Action, in a statement, said that Baffert’s suspension by Churchill Down was a “swift and meaningful action ... but the penalty falls short of seeing justice and that track as well as others around the nation should consider a greater penalty for the trainer.”

“He’s sneered at weak penalties for doping violations again and again,” Irby said. “Baffert will only get the message with a long-term suspension from the sport.

“On the upside, it is comforting to know that Baffert will not be allowed to compete at the Kentucky Derby until after the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act - that bans race day doping in the sport - has been implemented and taken full effect.” 

Maryland racing officials in May allowed Medina Spirit and another Baffert-trained horse, Concert Tour, to enter the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore after getting what they called “a binding commitment” from Baffert for “full transparency of medical and testing results that will allow for all results to be released to the public.”

Medina Spirit finished third in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, trailing behind the winner, Rombauer, and Midnight Bourbon. Concert Tour finished ninth.

Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal owns NBC and NBC Sports, which broadcast the Triple Crown races.

 

[Chief Stipe]

I hope he does appeal as the amount discovered was miniscule (21 picograms) and not a PED at that amount.  The drug is not a banned substance except on raceday.

For those that are challenged by numbers e.g. Thomarse - a picogram is one-trillionth, .000000000001, or 10-12 of a gram.

One picogram is the average weight of the DNA in one cell of a hummingbird.  They found a level of 21 picograms in the horses blood!

[Thomass]

Here's a tip 

Go away...read up about PICOGRAMS and find the link to the recent mass drugging of horses and the Feds investigations which led to how the crims covered it up for so long..

[Chief Stipe]

48 minutes ago, Thomass said:

Here's a tip 

Go away...read up about PICOGRAMS and find the link to the recent mass drugging of horses and the Feds investigations which led to how the crims covered it up for so long..

Here's a tip dick head - in your case a picogram is about the size of it!

_________________________

Baffert Sues New York Racing Officials Over ‘Impulsive’ Ban
The trainer was barred from the state’s racetracks and missed the Belmont Stakes after the Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed two post-race drug tests.

By Joe Drape
June 14, 2021

Bob Baffert, the trainer of the Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, sued the New York Racing Association on Monday for banning him from competing at the three tracks it operates, saying in an affidavit it “will effectively put me out of business in the State of New York.”

The association barred Baffert from entering horses or stabling them at the Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct racetracks after Medina Spirit’s post-Derby drug test was positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid that is injected into joints to reduce pain and swelling.

In a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn, Baffert said the suspension was unconstitutional and that he wanted it lifted so horses in his high-powered barn could race in lucrative and prestigious races in Saratoga this summer and at Belmont in the fall.

“NYRA’s impulsive decision to deprive Baffert of his professional livelihood within the State of New York is one that it had no legal authority to make,” the complaint said.

Neither Baffert nor his lawyer, W. Craig Robertson III, returned calls seeking comment.

Medina Spirit, Baffert’s colt, faces disqualification from the Derby — and the horse’s owner faces the loss of a more than $1.8 million first-place check — after two tests following his victory were positive for the anti-inflammatory drug.

After floating various theories — including contamination, a conspiracy targeting him and “cancel culture” — Baffert acknowledged that he was responsible: He said he treated Medina Spirit with the antifungal ointment Otomax without knowing it contained betamethasone.

N.Y.R.A. barred Baffert from its tracks on May 17. After Medina Spirit’s second test came back positive on June 2, Churchill Downs suspended him for two years, including the Derby in 2022 and 2023.

“NYRA took this action to protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants,” Pat McKenna, a spokesman for the association, said Monday. “In making the determination to temporarily suspend Mr. Baffert, NYRA took into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas.”

At least five of Baffert’s horses have failed drug tests in a little over one year, and he has had 30 failed tests in his career.

Still, a possible disqualification is months away and destined to be tied up in the courts for years. First, racing officials will conduct a hearing and issue a ruling. If they disqualify Medina Spirit and either suspend or fine Baffert, he could appeal to the full commission. If the unfavorable ruling is still not overturned, he could pursue a remedy in civil court.

In 1968, the Derby victory of Dancer’s Image was taken away after a drug test showed the presence of a banned anti-inflammatory. It took four years before Dancer’s Image was irrevocably disqualified.

The fallout from the failed test and legal squabbling appears to be hindering Baffert’s business. One of his more loyal owners, Spendthrift Farm, moved six of its horses from Baffert’s barn. Last year, he trained its colt Authentic to a 2020 Derby victory.

Three other horses formerly trained by Baffert were left in Kentucky in the care of Rodolphe Brisset by their owners.

[Thomass]

The good old Washington Post are onto Baffo....

Hes a DISGRACEFUL example of a 'horseman'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/06/18/bob-baffert-horse-deaths-drug-violations/

[Chief Stipe]

the colt's disqualification and a fine and suspension for Baffert from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, marked the fifth time a Baffert-trained horse tested positive for prohibited medications since May 2, 2020.

_______________

5 positives in 21 years not for performance enhancing drugs but for similar reasons to the last one - legitimate therapeutic medications allowed on all occasions except raceday.

In 21 years Baffert has raced thousands of horses.

[Chief Stipe]

According to the records of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), a conclusive positive for Medina Spirit after the split-sample would bring the 30th violation from a Baffert barn, stretched across 44 years. The list includes one from 1977, eight from the 1980s, six from the 1990s, six from the 2000s, four from the 2010s and four from the 2020s. Many, and all in 2020-21, entail drugs that are kosher but must clear from a horse’s system before a certain window ahead of race days and their thundering exertions. Most resulted in small fines and brief suspension, though that one from 1977, for morphine, landed Baffert a one-year ban.

____________

 

[curious]

And the Washington Post needs to get their statistician to recheck the levels of significance of the variance in their deaths per starter list which I note are conveniently omitted from the article.

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, curious said:

And the Washington Post needs to get their statistician to recheck the levels of significance of the variance in their deaths per starter list which I note are conveniently omitted from the article.

What is the overall rate in New Zealand for racehorses?

Are their statistics for horses that breakdown doing other pursuits?

[Thomass]

4 hours ago, curious said:

And the Washington Post needs to get their statistician to recheck the levels of significance of the variance in their deaths per starter list which I note are conveniently omitted from the article.

Maybe they got the Watergate tapes wrongly analysed as well then C??

Are you a Bafferteer then...NSAID's all day everyday sans the day before racing...but doubled up 2 days before that with varying product labels for an extra boost?

Snake oil or venom you selling him when 2 years is up?

[Thomass]

9 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

the colt's disqualification and a fine and suspension for Baffert from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, marked the fifth time a Baffert-trained horse tested positive for prohibited medications since May 2, 2020.

_______________

5 positives in 21 years not for performance enhancing drugs but for similar reasons to the last one - legitimate therapeutic medications allowed on all occasions except raceday.

In 21 years Baffert has raced thousands of horses.

Have you learnt ANYTHING about PICOGRAMS yet....

As advised by moi?

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, Thomass said:

Have you learnt ANYTHING about PICOGRAMS yet....

As advised by moi?

I understand that you only brain cell isn't big enough to register as a pictogram let alone a picogram.

Thomarse unless you didn't realise you are an idiot.

[Thomass]

9 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

I understand that you only brain cell isn't big enough to register as a pictogram let alone a picogram.

Thomarse unless you didn't realise you are an idiot.

Imagine the generalle Joe Public being informed almost the ENTIRE racing team of Chris Waller's/ Bobby Baffert is being given therapeutics...just to be able to race?

Lasix every fast working day...pissing in the corner of the box for half an hour while being brushed...

And they're told "the racing industry LOVES these animals to death...and they loved being drugged up and whipped"

So Bobby Baffert can drive a Porche and Waller can have Sunday Family days

[curious]

2 hours ago, Thomass said:

Maybe they got the Watergate tapes wrongly analysed as well then C??

Maybe.

I make the significance of the difference in death rates between Baffert and Ponde to be a P-value = .99. Between Baffert and O'Neill it's .598

FYI, in case you didn't pass high school maths which seems likely, a p-value <.05 is considered moderately significant. <.01 solidly so.

This is nowhere within cooee of that. Just meaningless nonsense. The only drug conviction of any count was close to 50 years ago.

[curious]

8 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

What is the overall rate in New Zealand for racehorses?

.73 deaths per 1000 starts

[Thomass]

21 hours ago, curious said:

Maybe.

I make the significance of the difference in death rates between Baffert and Ponde to be a P-value = .99. Between Baffert and O'Neill it's .598

FYI, in case you didn't pass high school maths which seems likely, a p-value <.05 is considered moderately significant. <.01 solidly so.

This is nowhere within cooee of that. Just meaningless nonsense. The only drug conviction of any count was close to 50 years ago.

Hay...I ordered a 1 minute insultation..not a 2 minute lecture Chauncey!

Alors...one of the ALL time GREAT newspapers with Journalistic standards beyond reproach and you 'maybe' the Watergate investigation!

Id be contacting them if I was you....you may get kudos and fame if they find their award winning standards don't match Palmy's

 

[Thomass]

20 hours ago, curious said:

.73 deaths per 1000 starts

Kind of hoisted own petard scenario here wee c...

Baffo...the KING of therapeutics....is 8 per 1000

Call me obvious if you like...

..but I'm deducing that Therapeutics are a complete anathema to Thoroughbred welfare??

[curious]

Just to be clear, the NZ figure above is fatal injuries incurred during a race where the horse was euthanised or died on the raceday. The comparable raceday fatal injury for the US is in the 1.3-1.5 range for horses dying within 72 hours of the race where the injury was sustained.

When you get through your remedial reading classes Thommo, read the WP article again. You may realise that the 8.3 deaths reported  for Baffert is the number of horses that died while in his care in Ca. per 1000 starters during that time, not the number that sustained fatal injuries or death during a race. I doubt the comparable figure is known for NZ and I certainly haven't seen it reported. It could well be higher as that would include horses butchered, shot or euthanised upon retirement from racing.

All I was trying to point out is that the WP chart reports data that is totally meaningless and from which no conclusion can be drawn with respect to the difference between the trainers listed. It is typical media distorted sensationalism for the gullible like you Thommo.

Edited June 23, 2021 by curious

[curious]

2 hours ago, Thomass said:

..but I'm deducing that Therapeutics are a complete anathema to Thoroughbred welfare??

I don't think deduction is a strength of yours Thommo. Possibly because you don't have much to deduct from.

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, Thomass said:

Hay...I ordered a 1 minute insultation..not a 2 minute lecture Chauncey!

Alors...one of the ALL time GREAT newspapers with Journalistic standards beyond reproach and you 'maybe' the Watergate investigation!

Id be contacting them if I was you....you may get kudos and fame if they find their award winning standards don't match Palmy's

 

The Washington Post haven't covered themselves in glory recently particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.  As @curious points out with the statistics the article on Baffert is a beat up.  Unfortunately people such as yourself @Thomassand the Feds do nothing but fuel the anti-racing brigade.

I seriously doubt, unless you are completely ignorant, that you actually have equine welfare at heart let alone horse racing.

[Chief Stipe]

On 22/06/2021 at 1:39 PM, Thomass said:

Imagine the generalle Joe Public being informed almost the ENTIRE racing team of Chris Waller's/ Bobby Baffert is being given therapeutics...just to be able to race?

 

No they are being given therapeutics to mediate and prevent the inevitable and in the interests of equine health and welfare.

As for the general public being informed - yes if it is published in the alarmist way that you @Thomass and the Washington Post it then the public will be alarmed.  Hence my opinion that the Feds and the Industry should do something to stop unnecessary publicity that portrays the completely wrong scenario.  For example the recent Te Akau positive to morphine publicity was all negative for something that was environmental contamination for a legal therapeutic substance measured at a level that barely registered above zero.  

[Thomass]

23 hours ago, curious said:

Just to be clear, the NZ figure above is fatal injuries incurred during a race where the horse was euthanised or died on the raceday. The comparable raceday fatal injury for the US is in the 1.3-1.5 range for horses dying within 72 hours of the race where the injury was sustained.

When you get through your remedial reading classes Thommo, read the WP article again. You may realise that the 8.3 deaths reported  for Baffert is the number of horses that died while in his care in Ca. per 1000 starters during that time, not the number that sustained fatal injuries or death during a race. I doubt the comparable figure is known for NZ and I certainly haven't seen it reported. It could well be higher as that would include horses butchered, shot or euthanised upon retirement from racing.

All I was trying to point out is that the WP chart reports data that is totally meaningless and from which no conclusion can be drawn with respect to the difference between the trainers listed. It is typical media distorted sensationalism for the gullible like you Thommo.

When you take your Englaise as a 2nd lingo option wee c....

This is from the OFFICIAL report into Baffo the Drug Lover's DEATH rap sheet 7 years ago...it's even got your P values

Enjoy

“Using all sudden deaths for Baffert (8 deaths, 2512 starts) there is an incidence of 3.18 deaths per 1,000 race starts (95% CI 1.37- 6.28). For comparison, all sudden deaths for non-Baffert trained horses (70 deaths, 199,637starts) have an incidence of 0.35 deaths/1,000 race starts (95% CI 0.27-0.44). Baffert-trained horses have a 9.08 (95% CI 4.37, 18.88; p<0.001) times greater incidence of sudden death during racing or training than horses not trained by Baffert. Examining the 7 sudden deaths over 24 months of FY 11-12 & FY 12-13, the results are even more dramatic.”

“Looking only at racing sudden deaths for Baffert (2 deaths, 2512 starts) there is an incidence of 0.80 deaths/1,000 race starts (95% CI 0.10-2.88). Racing sudden deaths for non-Baffert horses (21 deaths, 199,637 starts) has an incidence of 0.11 deaths/1,000 race starts (95% CI 0.07-0.16). Baffert trained horses that experienced sudden death during a race have a 7.57 (95% CI 1.77-32.28; p=0.006) times greater incidence of sudden death than horses not trained by Baffert.”