Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been dealt a blow in the ongoing legal battle surrounding Medina Spirit's betamethasone overage after the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate issued a ruling on March 21 siding with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and denying Baffert's bid to overturn the commission's refusal to issue a stay of his suspension.
In many cases, trainers request and are granted a stay of suspension if they're in the process of appealing a stewards' ruling. Baffert requested and was denied a stay by the KHRC.
As with most court actions at the local level, Wingate's decision may be appealed. According to Wingate's ruling, Baffert has until April 4 to receive relief from the Kentucky Court of Appeals. If he does not receive it by that point, he will have to begin serving his suspension on that date.
The suspension will be reciprocated by other states, and per California regulation, will require Baffert to remove his signage and equipment from his barns at his home base at Santa Anita Park and send horses to be conditioned by someone other than his assistant training staff.
At arguments before Wingate on March 17, Baffert's attorney W. Craig Robertson argued that a 90-day suspension would end his client's career, and pointed out that it was rare for the KHRC to deny a licensee a stay when it was requested. KHRC executive director Marc Guilfoil had made the initial decision to deny the stay, which was upheld by a unanimous vote from the commission. At the March 17 hearing, Guilfoil explained that Baffert's recent history of therapeutic medication positives, combined with his shifting public statements and explanations for these overages, led him to conclude that staying the suspension could cause harm to the betting public, Baffert's competitors, and the perception of integrity within the sport.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The post Kentucky Court Denies Baffert’s Bid For A Stay Of Suspension; Trainer Could Begin Serving On April 4 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
