On Monday, 2021, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit officially Stripping of that victory and coach Bob Baffert was suspended for 90 days, fined $7,500, and confiscated all proceeds from the post-fight win by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. test positive for betamethasone steroids last May.
Later that day, Clark Brewster, Baffert’s attorney, announced in a statement that he would appeal the ruling.
“We are disappointed by the Commission’s decision, but not surprised,” Brewster said, according to Paulick’s Report. “This ruling represents a serious discrepancy in both facts and law, but numerous public statements by KHRC officials over the past few months have made it clear that Bob Baffert’s fate is pre-determined. as we sat down to testify before three managers, one of whom was made directly by Churchill Downs as racing director at Turfway Park.We will appeal and we will prevail when the facts and the rules are up. presented to neutral, segregated decision-makers.
“Kentucky Racing Rules, KHRC Rule 8:020-2, only ‘betamethasone acetate’ ‘via IA’ [intra-articular joint] administer’ and only ban use if such injection occurs within 14 days of the race.
“Kentucky Racing Rules, Rule 8:010, Section 4, expressly authorize coaches to use ointments containing betamethasone under a rule that is captioned ‘Certain Permitted Substances’, which states clear” ointments… And other products commonly used in the daily care of horses may be administered by a person other than a licensed veterinarian if’: (1) The treatment does not include any drugs, pharmaceuticals or substances prohibited by this administrative regulation; (2) The treatment is not injected; and (3) The person is acting under the direction of a trainer or veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Kentucky and licensed by the board. ”
As noted by Related press (h/t ESPN), Baffert admitted to treating Medina Spirit with a topical ointment containing betamethasone after testing found 21 steroid picograms in the horse’s body. Churchill Downs suspended Baffert for two years and, following Monday’s development, placed Mandaloun in second as last year’s Kentucky Derby winner. Mandaloun owners will receive a winner’s wallet worth $1.8 million.
Betamethasone is legal in Kentucky but banned on race day.
“The indisputable and indisputable facts presented at the hearing were: (1) Medina Spirit was treated with an ointment, not an injection; (2) detectable trace amounts of betamethasone were not may affect the horse in any way; and (3) trace amounts of betamethasone detected may not affect the outcome of the race,” Brewster added in the release.
“In other words, Medina Spirit will win with or do not have ointment because it is not suitable in every way. The manager’s decision to rob Medina Spirit of the victory he earned is not in line with the law but instead represents bias, purposeful action, and wrongdoing. ”
Medina Spirit died of a suspected heart attack after training on December 6.
