Horse trainer Bob Baffert before the 2020 Breeders Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Trainer Bob Baffert pets an outriders horse while watching workouts at Churchill Downs in April. In September, Baffert learned via a text message from Barbara Borden, chief steward for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, that his horse Gamine had tested positive for the anti-inflammatory betamethasone at the Kentucky Oaks. Theres a recognition that certain substances are normal in equine care, Martin said, but if that horse still requires that, then maybe you shouldnt run the horse., Martin made a distinction between doping horses with banned substances and running them with too much medication. But Bafferts critics say his conduct after penning the article calls into question his seriousness about reform. Bafferts lawyer called as a defense witness Arthur, who testified that his handling of the case was the fault of Californias cumbersome regulatory process. He declared, I considered this a horse poisoning, not a horse drugging., After the hearing, Santa Anitas Board of Stewards, a three-person panel that rules on drug cases, dismissed the complaints. ), Arthur has defended his handling of the Justify positive. Its not uncommon to find trainers who dont understand medications and how different medications work, Arthur said. And the Breeders Cup, which will be held Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar, has indicated it will soon make a decision on Bafferts eligibility to run in those championship races. Baedeker and Arthur said in interviews that no matter how it was handled it would have been impossible to resolve the case that quickly. This America's different." pic . A court, the states lawyer wrote, could find that the CHRB abused its discretion and acted in a manner that was arbitrary, capricious, or entirely lacking in evidentiary support.. Once the golden boy of horse racing, Bob Baffert now the face of its disgrace. His American Pharaoh horse won the Triple Crown in 2015. They had discussions with David Tinsley, the former DEA supervisor who runs 5 Stones, the people said, but the thoroughbred owners involved scrapped the plan. Carson Valley was killed in a freak accident in 2019 at Del Mar when a loose horse crashed into the Baffert trainee. When the CHRB also decided to run DNA tests on the horses blood samples, the records show Arthur said the request would be a big deal and asked if they could wait until after the Preakness, which was 10 days away. The 5-year-old mare was the seventh seemingly healthy horse from that barn to drop dead in 16 months. He also won the race in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 when run as a Grade I event. The Judge made her ruling based on the NYRA having not allowed Baffert a forum to refute their claims and stated that (they the NYRA).."had held no hearing let alone a prompt one. Bell told an investigator he then checked other bales and found a branch and pods he thought were Jimson weed in the parking lot. [42][44] A friend of Baffert's and an inductee into the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame, Adair died on Preakness Day, May 16, 2015, at 71. He has won the Kentucky Oaks three times: first in 1999 with Silverbulletday, who was later selected for the Hall of Fame, then with Plum Pretty in 2011 and with Abel Tasman in 2017. In that period, 36% of all cardiac related horse deaths in California were animals trained by Baffert. Yes, I'm a registered Republican, although I've voted for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. followed up and ruled Baffert would not be allowed to run in New York. He routinely challenges most sanctions, usually agreeing to accept fines but vigorously fighting suspensions. It hurts racing., In the same speech, Baffert agitated for the continued use of Lasix, which is popular with trainers but increasingly criticized as a potential performance-enhancer and masking agent for other drugs. Racing officials ruled that the positive test was a result of contamination and the wins of Charlatan and Gamine were restored. Its not often that a sport turns against its biggest star, but Churchill Downs has taken that stand. In July 2020, Merneith tested positive for dextromethorphan, a drug commonly used in cough medicine. (The trainer and jockey usually get 10 percent each.) This article was published more than1 year ago. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Testimonies have begun in the case of horse trainer Bob Baffert against Churchill Downs. [As for whats going on now,] I dont like it but Im dealing with it. Even then, he would not talk about the specifics of the cases against him. [15], At a news conference on May 9, Baffert initially said that Medina Spirit was never administered betamethasone. Attorneys for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert argued in a Kentucky court Thursday that a 90-day suspension imposed by the state's racing commission would essentially end his career. . John Cherwa is a special contributor to the Los Angeles Times. With private eyes and political muscle, horse racings elite pushed to punish dopers, Throughout the months-long process, CHRB officials had indicated they planned on filing a complaint against Baffert, which would have exposed the failed drug test. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakness Stakes, three Belmont Stakes, and three Kentucky Oaks. As the Kentucky Derby approached, officials began discussing the possibility of contamination that the positive test had been triggered by something Justify ingested. Garcia left California horse racing the next year, according to CHRB records; he could not be reached for comment by The Post. Both trainers were fined $500. He tried his hand at substitute teaching before he started training horses full time. But in 2019, he was banned from Santa Anita Park and affiliated tracks after four of his horses died there in six months. April 29, 2022 9:00 AM. That investigation led to the indictments that Baffert said spurred him to embrace more oversight, so the cheaters would be quickly caught and punished.. "[29][30] On September 10, 2021 Baffert was charged by NYRA for conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing. Theres one thing that I will say positive about Bob is that he is a horseman. [19][20] On May 11, Baffert stated Medina Spirit had dermatitis, for which an ointment containing betamethasone was used. Gagliano, the Jockey Club president, denied that the group had any knowledge of whom 5 Stones investigated, outside of the eventual indictments. Real Quiet won the Preakness as well, but, like Silver Charm, the horse was denied a Triple Crown win and finished second in the Belmont Stakes by a nose. "Bobby" Adair. We live and work in a fishbowl, with rumors and accusations flowing constantly, Baffert said. [10] Though number of racing starts are used to calculate rates of death for all horses in the care of race trainers, not all horse deaths were animals in race training nor were they necessarily race-related fatalities. At the time, she was 42-years-old. Arthur also presented exercise histories for the horses that showed they worked harder than average. And Noodles died May 22 of a non-exercise induced respiratory issue. Baffert also trained the 2018 Triple Crown Winner, Justify and the 2020 Kentucky Derby winner, Authentic. The week after Justify won the Preakness, bringing him to the cusp of the Triple Crown, test results came back showing the plant they had tested was milkweed. [8] His first suspension was in 1977 for misuse of morphene, but thereafter he had no violations for the next eight years. Longtime client Mike Pegram explained, "Anybody who walks with that swagger, people are going to love him or hate himhe's a wiseass and irreverent." In each instance, the death is investigated. [2][4], Baffert established his early reputation with less expensive horses like Silver Charm and Real Quiet, bought for $16,500 and $17,000 respectively. Real Quiet won the race that year, and Baffert also finished third with Indian Charlie. Yeah, sure, hes a wiseass and irreverent. In fact, at some point Id like to get back together with Bob, Shah said. The colt lost the Belmont Stakes after breaking poorly from the starting gate. Horse trainer Bob Baffert, left, leaves federal court in Brooklyn on July 12. On a recent afternoon, Baffert appeared largely unperturbed by the firestorm surrounding him when he answered his door in Arcadia, Calif. This is the first Ive learned of it, Baffert responded when told of The Posts finding that he had the highest rate of horse deaths among other top trainers in the state. "So now even our Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, is a junky," Trump's statement read. The previous August, Bob Baffert Racing Stables had donated $1,000 to the TOCs political action committee, California records show. Trainer Bob Baffert celebrates after his horse, Authentic, won the Kentucky Derby in September 2020. The legal records, which draw from dozens of emails, memorandums and other materials that have not previously been made public, show how officials delayed action, contradicted their own plans and rewrote existing rules to Bafferts advantage. All they show is contamination, and they have really put the trainers heads on the chopping blocks. He claimed the boards cover up cost him damages including the $400,000 difference between the first-place and second-place purses in the Santa Anita Derby. Arthur is the CHRBs primary advisor on drug testing, according to state code; the role of determining penalties in individual cases falls to its stewards and commissioners. [8] As of 1January2022[update] the question of whether the horse would join Dancer's Image by being disqualified for a drug violation in the Derby remains pending. Early life and career [ edit] The TOC, of which Baffert is still a board member, did not respond to requests for comment. "We live in a different world now. This whole thing is ridiculous, Baffert texted back, according to messages obtained by The Post via public records request. Bafferts attorney argued in court that the trainers May suspension by the New York Racing Assn. In 2015, Baffert trained the 2014 champion two-year-old colt American Pharoah to win the Triple Crown, the first to do so in 37 years. Horse owner and racing reform advocate Barry Irwin has stated, "He's Mr. The trainer was Baffert. But Arthurs report said Hollywood Park used a different sort of poison than that found in the necropsy. Kentucky regulators taped calls without consent with Baffert after Medina Spirit test. Jerry Hollendorfer has the most deaths with 122. In a recent interview, Arthur described his findings as damning for Baffert, in particular analysis in his report showing that, over a six-year period, Bafferts horses were nine times more likely to die of sudden death than the average trainers. Were going to get through it.. His most serious infraction was also his first. Several members of the Breeders Cup board have used Baffert as their trainer. The timing of the legislation was coincidental, he added: I understand where youre going and why, but there were no connections, from my perspective., Brewster, attorney for Medina Spirits owner, also said that Bafferts issue with Arthur was about Lasix and that the timing was irrelevant.. I believe there is some precedent in criminal law when a law is changed from a felony to a misdemeanor how they should be prosecuted even before the new law becomes effective, wrote Arthur, whose job before medical equine director was as a racetrack veterinarian. It subsequently said any horses running for a suspended trainer (Baffert) would not be eligible for Kentucky Derby or Oaks qualifying points. LOS ANGELES In 2018, as star trainer Bob Baffert led his thoroughbred Justify to the Triple Crown, California regulators embarked on a secret effort to exonerate Baffert after the horse's. The deadliest period came between 2000 and 2005, when 34 of Bafferts horses in California died. He has won the Kentucky Derby five times. Mick Ruis, the owner and trainer of the second-place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby, has sued the CHRB. Darrell Vienna, Ruiss attorney, said he would not have agreed to those stipulations but was not allowed to intervene. But hes Bob, he has to speak his mind.. In 2010, Misremembered, a horse he bred, owned by his wife Jill and their friend George Jacobs, won the Santa Anita Handicap, marking Baffert's first Grade I win as a breeder instead of a trainer. Arthur said the TOC was behind the effort to oust him because of his criticism of Lasix. Two months later, the PAC contributed $2,000 to Grays successful election committee. We had some thoroughbreds with another trainer and Im thinking how can we make money with Bobby running for $4,000 at night when we could be running for $40,000 during the day, Pegram said. [2] His first winner was Flipper Star at Rillito Park on January 28, 1979. The substance was indeed Jimson weed. The bill was introduced by California Assemblyman Adam Gray, a former aide to Cardoza who had been in office for less than three months. In a written decision, the stewards stated the CHRB has already ruled on this matter in its August 2018 closed hearing and had followed the law., However, the stewards suggested they would not have made the same decision as the CHRB: It is the Stewards opinion that had this Board of Stewards heard the Justify and Hoppertunity complaints prior to August 23, 2018 both horses would have been disqualified., Ruiss lawyers have since argued in court for the settlement to be rescinded because the stewards refused to make a decision on the merits., I remain convinced that justice has not yet been served, Vienna told The Post, and that hopefully the courts will resolve the matter., The rise and fall of Jorge Navarro, the alleged doping king of horse racing. The California Horse Racing Boards inner workings during the episode have remained mostly shrouded by official secrecy. Racing lacks a central clearinghouse for data on deaths nationally, and regulators in many states do not track deaths by trainer. PUBLISHED 9:20 AM ET Jul. After Baffert was notified a week following this years Kentucky Derby that the colts blood and urine sample contained 21 picograms, a trillionth of a gram, of betamethasone, he held a hastily called news conference outside his barn at Churchill Downs saying he had no idea how it could have gotten into the horses system. The 69-year-old Hall of Fame trainer is suing Churchill Downs Inc . Hes the person few in the business want to talk about, but everyone wants to hear about. [43] At the post-Belmont press conference, Baffert announced he and his wife would be making donations of $50,000 each to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), and Old Friends Equine, all programs for retired race horses; and to the Permanently Disabled Jockey's Fund in memory of a Quarter Horse Jockey named Robert Z. Baffert said the horse was off the drug for 18 days before the race. (Pegram and Auerbach did not respond to interview requests. And because of that, he has become arrogant as hell. California counts all fatalities of horses in a trainers care, including breakdowns during training, not just racing deaths. Then, when American Pharoah won the 2015 Belmont Stakes, the win was the fourth attempt at a Triple Crown for Baffert, who at age 62 became the second-oldest trainer to win a Triple Crown.[6]. He won his first race on that 1970 afternoon but not as a trainer. Grays office told the committee that removing Dr. Arthur from his position, while intentional, is not the sole purpose of the bill, records show. In 1997 he won his first Kentucky Derby with Silver Charm. Thats the only time I ever had to deal with somebody who tried to go to federal court to stop a state administrative action., Finally, in 2005, after the matter had returned to state court, the CHRB dismissed the suspension after an administrative law judge concluded Baffert had nothing to gain and a great deal to lose by the use of a banned substance on this horse., Baffert further solidified his influence in the ensuing years. Gray declined to be interviewed for this story, instead issuing a statement declaring that the personal vendettas of others, perceived or otherwise, play no roll [sic] in the legislation I carry. His spokesman added that campaign contributions do not affect Grays policy proposals. to move forward. Petersen did not respond to an interview request. Bob Baffert has supporters and detractors in how he deals with jockeys By John Cherwa Special Contributor Nov. 2, 2016 4:28 PM PT Bob Baffert, still fresh and snappy after hours of morning. According to data provided by the California Horse Racing Board and supplemented by The Times research, the trainer has had 75 horses die since 2000 either racing, training, or by illness or non-exercise accidents. Trainer Bob Baffert's ban from racing in New York is over - Associated Press Baffert barred from participating in Preakness Stakes by Maryland commission By Jacob Calvin Meyer - The. Arthur B. Hancock III, a prominent thoroughbred owner, has for three decades been a leading proponent for eradicating drugs from the sport. Gray said at the time that the bill also would increase the institutional knowledge of Californias central horse drug-testing lab. Baffert wants a preliminary injunction that would keep Churchill Downs from denying his horses entry into races there and at Turfway Park, in Florence, Ky., and from "prohibiting him from earning. Last October Gamine was disqualified from third to last in the Kentucky Oaks after betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory, was discovered in the horses system. But they dont usually die in a cluster from a single barn for no clear reason. Does the drug that could strip Medina Spirit of a Kentucky Derby win enhance performance? He has also won the Preakness Stakes five times and the Belmont Stakes once. When a horse dies in California, CHRB records often list medications the horse had been prescribed, based on its medical history. The CHRB officially opened an investigation. If the complaint was ruled on quickly enough, it would have made Justify ineligible for the Kentucky Derby. Theres 10,000 other trainers who understand the absolute insurer rule and dont seem to run afoul of it, Gagliano said, referring to the edict that any substances in the horse are the trainers responsibility. By the April 1 ruling, Baffert had already transferred four 3-year-old colts to other trainers. None of them are considered performance-enhancing in the traditional sense, such as amphetamines or speedballs. He won the aforementioned first race at a sanctioned track in 1970, but his mother insisted he attend college and he enrolled in the University of Arizonas Race Track Industry Program. I told him there would be nothing from CHRB before the KY Derby, unlikely before the Preakness and possibly not until after the Belmont, Arthur wrote. Bob Baffert has taken up more of my time than I ever should have had to deal with, Arthur said, before again coming to the defense of Bafferts treatment of his horses: He certainly puts the pedal to the metal, but he doesnt close his eyes. And in the 13 months following his essay in The Post, Bafferts horses tested positive for prohibited or excessive substances five times in three states. Decorated racehorse trainer who won multiple Kentucky Derbies, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. He's saddled. Baffert did not win another classic race until 2001, when he won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes with eventual Hall of Fame member Point Given. Per Baffert, barn staff including grooms, were involved in administering the thyroxine in feed.. The cluster of sudden deaths remains unexplained and there was no evidence whatsoever CHRB rules or regulations have been violated or any illicit activity played a part in the deaths, Arthurs report concluded. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. (At least one death of a Baffert horse identified by The Post was not included in the agencys data.) [18] Baffert responded by saying the situation "was like a cancel culture kind of a thing," a remark which earned him noticeable criticism from the press. "[16][17] Nonetheless, Churchill Downs suspended Baffert from entering any horses at their racetrack pending the outcome of an investigation. In 2000, for instance, another of his horses, Nautical Look, tested positive for morphine, landing Baffert a two-month suspension. After the Times broke the news of the positive drug test, Ruis sued the CHRB in January 2020. What I can tell you definitely is this case was handled differently, and it was handled differently because of Rick Arthur, said Ruiss attorney, Darrell Vienna. A week after that, Baffert learned of the positive test. Rick Arthur, Californias medical equine director, who the documents show played a central role in the scuttling of the Justify matter, said the only part of the CHRBs handling of the case that disappointed him was the secrecy. By Marty Irby. There wasnt any question in my mind, he said recently. Two months later, the PAC contributed $2,000 to Gray's . Baffert says he plans to seek legal recourse wherever necessary. [8][37] That case was eventually dismissed as the regulators concluded the facts supported an instance of feed contamination. According to protocols, the medication is supposed to have a 14-day withdrawal period. Obviously if we can get the Kentucky case resolved, Arkansas will have the benefit of knowing that result before a final decision is made in that case. [39] California's equine medical director found that Baffert's horses were routinely given Thyro-L, or thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, that could cause heart problems during exercise, but concluded the medication, which Baffert said he had been using routinely for the previous five years, did not cause the heart attacks. When The Post shared the data on 72 of the horse deaths with Brewster, he and Bafferts lawyer, W. Craig Robertson III, said that one of the horses listed was never in Bafferts care, though it is marked as his horse in CHRB records, and that another was a stable pony not being raced. The bold statement appeared to put Baffert on the right side of history: By the end of the year, President Donald Trump had signed into law the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which promised to reform the sport. He's a cheat and an asshole, and I hope Medina Spirit gets taken down and his connections are denied the $1.8 million first-place check. Robertson blamed the frequency of Bafferts drug-related violations on how often his horses are tested after winning races and said, Horse racings regulations need to catch up with the sensitivity of modern day testing., Jockey Club President James L. Gagliano dismissed that frequent complaint from Baffert.