Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medina Spirit Officially Ruled Out Of Haskell Bid

Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit has officially been ruled out of the Grade 1 Haskell on July 17 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ, according to the Asbury Park Press. Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed the news to racing secretary John Heims over the holiday weekend.

“Medina Spirit's not coming,” Heims told the APP. “The race just comes up too quickly.”

The Haskell is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Del Mar.

Medina Spirit has only breezed once since the May 15 Preakness, a three-furlong move at Santa Anita in 37.60 seconds on June 14.

The Protonico colt's Derby win is in jeopardy due to a positive post-race test result for betamethasone, a therapeutic medication that is not allowed on race day. Baffert and his attorney have claimed the positive is a result of a topical cream used to treat a case of dermatitis on the colt's hindquarters. Though the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not yet held a hearing, required to disqualify Medina Spirit, but Baffert and his attorney have already filed suit against the commission asking a judge to grant further testing of the post-race samples.

NYRA Tells Judge Its Motion to Dismiss Baffert Suit is Imminent

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) on Tuesday gave notice to a federal judge that it intends to file a formal motion to dismiss trainer Bob Baffert's civil complaint, which seeks to overturn NYRA's ban against him.

On May 17, NYRA informed the Hall of Fame trainer with the highly-publicized string of recent equine drug positives that he was temporarily not welcome to stable or race at the association's three tracks, Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

That ban, NYRA said at the time, would be re-evaluated once the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission adjudicates Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s positive betamethasone tests that came back after the colt won the GI Kentucky Derby. In the 12 months prior to Medina Spirit's positive, four other Baffert trainees also tested positive for banned substances, two of them in Grade I stakes.

On June 14, Baffert filed a civil complaint against NYRA, alleging that the association's ban violates his Fourteenth Amendment constitutional right to due process.

On June 30, NYRA filed a 236-page memorandum in opposition to granting Baffert an injunction (read those legal arguments in detail here).

A new twist in the July 6 letter is that lawyers for NYRA wrote that they first want to have a conference among parties prior to filing the motion to dismiss.

The timing will be tight, as the judge had already set a July 12 court date for Baffert's motion to be heard.

“Plaintiff's Complaint asserts five causes of action: (1) preliminary and permanent injunction; (2) an alleged violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983; (3) declaratory judgment; (4) tortious interference with business relations; and (5) an alleged violation of certain New York State laws,” NYRA's Tuesday letter to the judge stated. “Each of these claims are deficient as a matter of law and should be dismissed.”

The post NYRA Tells Judge Its Motion to Dismiss Baffert Suit is Imminent appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Gamine Wins Great Lady M Stakes By 10 Lengths

Heavily-favored Gamine added to her glowing resume with a 10-length romp in the $200,000, Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes Monday – the final day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival – at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

The 1-5 choice in the field of five, the 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief and the Kafwain mare Peggy Jane broke sharply under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, was headed briefly to her inside by 3-1 second choice Edgeway nearing the turn, then took charge from there to win without ever being asked for her best.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for owner Michael Lund Petersen, Gamine is now 8-for-9 with earnings of $1,406,500. Six of her victories have come in graded events.

Gamine paid $2.40 and $2.10 in a race where there was no show wagering. She attracted $248,224 of the $292,855 wagered to place in the Great Lady M, creating a minus place pool of $33,822. She completed the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.98.

Bella Vita, the second longest shot in the field at 22-1, edged Road Rager, the longest price on the board at 45-1, by a neck for second. The place price on Bella Vita was $9.

Edgeway and Qahira, who is also trained by Baffert, completed the order of finish. Candura, Dynasty of Her Own and Eyes Open were scratched earlier in the day.

“It was nice to see a lot of people come to the paddock to get a good luck at her,'' said Baffert, who won the Great Lady M for the fourth time after scoring previously with Fantastic Style (2015) and Marley's Freedom (2018-2019).

“That's what great horses do. When she runs I get nervous and I'm more relieved after the race. She looked great and I'm glad she came through.

“She might be able to stretch out. She's getting older and more mature. That's one option I've been thinking about, but I don't know what we'll do next. I want to see how she comes out of this and I'll let her tell me.''

Velazquez, who has been aboard for all of Gamine's graded successes, is now 1-for-1 at Los Alamitos after Monday.

“I know she's quick and the other horse (third-place finisher Road Rager) showed speed and I knew the horse to beat (Edgeway) was inside of me,'' he said. “She relaxed and I let her do her thing around the turn and that was it from there.''

The post Gamine Wins Great Lady M Stakes By 10 Lengths appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Classier Noses Out Defunded In Los Alamitos Derby

Even though several of the country's top 3 year olds call the West Coast home, Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif. had a challenging time trying to come up with enough starters for Sunday's Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby. With richer stakes elsewhere luring a number of possible entries away, the track postponed the race 24 hours to allow additional time for entries and came up with a field of five, including Bob Baffert trainees Classier and Defunded, who went two-three last time out in the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Sunday, the Baffert horses improved on that performance, going one-two in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby.

The race was a straightforward one from the start. Classier took the lead from the break, striding out to a length and a quarter lead over It's My House and Defunded, with Ingest and Back Ring Luck a length and a half back. The field maintained their running positions through the backstretch, with Abel Cedillo on Defunded waiting for the final turn to start bidding for the lead.

After running on easy lead throughout, Mike Smith and Classier had plenty left for his stretch run and challenge from his stablemate. In the straightaway, Defunded closed the gap with Classier but was unable to pass his fellow Baffert trainee, coming within a nose of Classier at the wire. With this victory in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby, Classier earns his first stakes win of his career. Ingest, It's My House, and Back Ring Luck rounded out the field of five.

Find this race's chart here.

The short field meant no show wagering at Los Alamitos. Classier paid $4.60 and $2.20. Defunded paid $2.10.

Mike Smith knew Classier had plenty of potential in only his fourth start. “I waited until the eighth pole to ask him and when he saw (Defunded) he really dug in. This is a big colt with a lot to him and he is going to get even better.''

Baffert, who earned his fifth straight win in this race, was glad that he started Classier in the G3 Derby despite beating fellow trainee Defunded. “I wasn't going to run (Classier) in this race. I talked to the ownership group and told them I was going to work him and if he worked well I'd run him. He worked very well (:47 1/5 half-mile July 1 at Santa Anita), so we decided to go. I really thought and the rider (Abel Cedillo) thought Defunded had him the whole way. It was pretty exciting and I was really hoping for a dead heat because I've always wanted one of those in a stakes so you don't have to make that other call. We thought he'd be on the lead last time, but he stumbled leaving the gate and he really needed the race (the Grade 3 Affirmed June 13). He's going to improve off this. I can take my time with him now and figure out a spot because he is bred to be superstar.''

Classier is a 3-year-old colt owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm, and Robert Masterson. He was sired by Empire Maker out of the Bernardini mare Class Will Tell. Bred in Kentucky by Mary Sullivan, Classier was consigned by Lantern Hill Farm and purchased for $775,000 by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables at the Keeneland September 2019 Yearling Sale. Sunday's win improves Classier to two wins in four lifetime starts for total winnings of $155,000.

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