Michael Lund's Gamine (Into Mischief) has been disqualified and purse money was forfeited from her third-place effort in last year's GI Kentucky Oaks after testing positive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication that is classified as a Class C drug, and trainer Bob Baffert has been fined $1,500. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission issued the ruling last Saturday. Baffert waived his right to a formal hearing on the infraction.
Gamine's disqualification promotes Speech (Mr Speaker), originally fourth, to third in the Oaks.
The positive test was first reported publicly by The New York Times last October. The KHRC had been conducting a follow-up investigation and the finding of its official testing laboratory, Industrial Laboratories, was confirmed by UIC Analytical Forensic Testing Laboratory.
Betamethasone is a permitted medication in Kentucky, but has a mandated two-week withdrawal time. Following the Times story in October, Baffert's attorney Craig Robertson said the filly had been administered the drug Aug. 17 by her veterinarian. The Oaks was held 18 days later. Robertson's statement said Gamine's test revealed 27 picograms of betamethasone and that Kentucky's threshold for the medication is 10 picograms.
Gamine was also disqualified from an allowance victory at Oaklawn Park May 2 after testing positive for lidocaine. Her stablemate Charlatan (Speightstown) was disqualified from his win in the GI Arkansas Derby the same day for the same drug. Baffert continues to appeal both disqualifications.
Gamine went on to win the GI Longines Acorn S. and GI Longines Test S. and capped 2020 year with a win in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. She was named last year's champion female sprinter.
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