The stewards at Santa Anita Park will conduct hearings Thursday, Oct. 29, beginning at 10 a.m. to consider two complaints filed by the California Horse Racing Board seeking the disqualifications of two horses, Justify and Hoppertunity, from their victories in races run in 2018. The complaints also seek redistributions of the purses from those races.
The CHRB will not be filing a complaint against trainer Bob Baffert, due to substantial evidence that the scopolamine positives resulted from environmental contamination from jimson weed.
The hearing for disqualification is a condition of a settlement agreement between the CHRB and Ruis Racing LLC, the owner of Bolt d'Oro, the horse that finished second behind Justify in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 7, 2018. In that matter, the CHRB is represented by counsel from the Office of the California Attorney General.
In addition, the CHRB is seeking the disqualification of Hoppertunity, winner of the Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita on April 8, 2018, and the redistribution of that purse based on laboratory findings that his post-race sample for that race tested positive for scopolamine. While not the subject of current litigation, this medication positive was similar to the one involving Justify. Baffert trained both horses.
Due to COVID-19, all witnesses are expected to testify remotely. The public will not be allowed to attend the hearings in person but can hear and view the proceedings through the following link: http://www.chrb.ca.gov/Live.html
Clicking the link will bring up a “Register” screen asking for the guest's name and e-mail address. A confirmation link granting both audio and visual access to the hearings will be sent to the e-mail address provided. Registration will begin at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
The two hearings will be conducted concurrently. Depending on the number of witnesses testifying and presenting evidence, the hearings could last more than one day. The stewards likely will issue their decisions at some later date.
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