LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Bob Baffert will be allowed to run horses in this year's Breeders' Cup, held at Del Mar in California, one of his home tracks, though he will face additional testing and security requirements.
The Breeders' Cup announced in September that it was reviewing Baffert's status for the Breeders' Cup in light of a highly publicized positive test for Medina Spirit after that colt's win in the Kentucky Derby. Baffert maintains that the colt tested positive for betamethasone, a substance banned on race days in Kentucky, as the result of a topical application for a skin rash, rather than because of injections, which it says the Kentucky ban was established to address.
It was Baffert's fifth substance violation in a little more than a year, though two of those were later overturned because of contamination in the testing process.
Adjudication by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is on hold as labs continue to mishandle, misplace and otherwise slow a testing process that has been ongoing for months.
Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, has suspended Baffert for two years. It will not honor points toward Kentucky Derby qualification earned by horses trained by Baffert or any other horse whose trainer is under suspension.
The trainer also faces a Jan. 24 hearing in New York, which moved to honor his suspension by Churchill Downs, but later was rebuffed by a state court because Baffert hadn't been afforded a hearing.
Horse racing officials in California have taken no action against Baffert, who is based in California, nor have any tracks in the state.
On Sunday, the Breeders' Cup announced that Baffert will be able to enter horses in its championships, Nov. 5-6, at Del Mar, after coming to an agreement that his horses will undergo additional testing for medications, both leading up to the event and during the week of Nov. 5-6 event, increased veterinarian and security checks, and 24-hour security surveillance. Baffert will assume the costs of those additional measures.
The organization refused to release details of its review of Baffert.
"Working with horses and competing in World Championships is a privilege, and medication restrictions and testing protocols are in place for a reason,” the Breeders’ Cup said in a release on Sunday. “The Breeders’ Cup expects Mr. Baffert’s complete cooperation in ensuring that every horse under his care is in full compliance with all medication and safety standards."
Among the horses Baffert is expected to enter in Breeders' Cup races is Medina Spirit, in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The trainer told the Los Angeles Times, via text message: "I share the values of the Breeders’ Cup Board and the principles which underlie the World Championships of our great sport. I welcomed the good-faith inquiry of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Committee and we transparently answered their requests, through documentation and in-person meetings. I invite any pre-race scrutiny and testing for my Breeders’ Cup entrants. I compliment the horsemen on the Breeders’ Cup Board that selflessly provided their time, diligence and integrity in reviewing the true facts and not acting on a false rush to judgment."
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