Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Baffert The Center Of Two More Civil Suits In Federal Court In Medina Spirit Case

Days after a group of four horseplayers filed suit against trainer Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit owner Zedan Racing over the expected disqualification of the horse from his Kentucky Derby win, Baffert has been named in two more similar federal lawsuits.

Both follow a similar premise to the May 13 civil suit filed by horseplayers Michael Beychok, Justin Wunderler, Michael Meegan and Keith Mauer. One was filed May 24 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by bettor Jeffrey Kaufman, who accuses Baffert and Zedan Racing of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act due to the presence of a regulated substance, betamethasone, Baffert said he was informed was detected on the horse's post-race tests. The drug has yet to be confirmed in split-sample tests. Kaufman's suit alleges that Baffert's history of drug positives establishes a pattern and that his assurances to the public in late 2020 that he intended to improve barn procedures was trusted by bettors.

Kaufman's suit is also designed to be a class action on behalf of other bettors on the Kentucky Derby “who would have won their bets and winnings had Medina spirit been properly prohibiting from competing in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2021, or competed without the aid of an illegal drug.”

Kaufman requests, among other things, court-imposed restrictions on Baffert's “future activities in Thoroughbred racing.”

The Kaufman suit accuses Baffert and Zedan of violating the RICO Act, common law fraud, and equitable fraud, and Baffert alone of conspiring to violate California laws against racketeering. Baffert and Zedan have not yet filed responses.

Read that complaint here.

Another horseplayer, Florida-based Anthony Mattera, filed suit against Baffert and Churchill Downs in Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky based on the Medina Spirit drug positive, but that case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Mattera claims, based on Baffert's history of drug violations, Churchill Downs should have refused his entry of Medina Spirit into the race and also that the track could have implemented its own pre-race testing procedures. (The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission already conducts pre-race testing for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.) Mattera also claimed the track should not have calculated the payouts based on the results with Medina Spirit as the winner.

Mattera also seeks to have his lawsuit recognized as a class action. Mattera's suit alleges negligence on the part of Baffert and Churchill, and violation of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act and unjust enrichment by Churchill. Mattera seeks to permanently enjoin Churchill from conducting racing until it meets a number of conditions to screen horses pre-race, settle wagers that change as the result of disqualifications, and publicly disclose medical records among other things. Baffert and Churchill have not yet filed responses.

Read that complaint here.

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Allowance Winner Lambeau Faces Comebacking Eight Rings In Triple Bend

Fresh off a rousing gate to wire allowance win at one mile, the John Shirreffs-trained Lambeau is well positioned to make his stakes debut as he cuts back to a sprint for the first time in his career in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita.

Originally run at Hollywood Park, the Triple Bend will be run for the 70th time on Saturday as a field of five older horses will compete at seven furlongs.

In a wide open affair, Bob Baffert's Eight Rings and Peter Eurton's Exaulted would both also appear to have big chances.

Owned by Jerome S. Moss, Lambeau, a 5-year-old full horse by First Samurai, was off at 16-1 in a second condition allowance on April 10 and he led every step of the way to win by one length when ridden for the first time by Edwin Maldonado, who rides him back in the Triple Bend. A winner of three out of his seven starts, Lambeau is untested at the trip and level, but has never been better.

A runaway winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at age two in September, 2019, Eight Rings has been idle since well beaten in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes going seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 1. With an outstanding work tab to his credit, Eight Rings will be ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat in what will be his seventh career start.

A 4-year-old colt by Empire Maker out of the Pure Prize mare Purely Hot, Eight Rings is owned by Coolmore Stud, Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables, LLC, SF Racing, LLC and Starlight Racing.

Third, beaten four lengths by runaway winner Brickyard Ride in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs March 6, Exaulted rates a huge chance and will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo. A 4-year-old colt by Twirling Candy, out of the Gilded Time mare Gilded Miracle., Exaulted is owned by C R K Stable and has trained well since the San Carlos, evidenced by a pair of bullet five furlong works on May 8 and May 15.

THE GRADE 2 TRIPLE BEND STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Exaulted—Abel Cedillo—120
Lambeau—Edwin Maldonado—120
Shooters Shoot—Umberto Rispoli—120
Magic On Tap—Juan Hernandez—120
Eight Rings—Flavien Prat—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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California Horse Racing Board Will Not Suspend Baffert’s License Without Due Process

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is aware of the situation surrounding Bob Baffert and the alleged positive relative to the Kentucky Derby.

Racetracks in Kentucky and New York have temporarily precluded Mr. Baffert from entering horses and/or using stalls. To date, the regulatory bodies in those two states – the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the New York State Gaming Commission – have not taken any action against Mr. Baffert's license. They face the same issue the CHRB does in that regulators cannot suspend or revoke occupational licenses without a hearing and due process. Should any regulatory body take action against any licensee, we would reciprocate that action in California.

Further, Noodles, a 2-year-old unraced colt in Mr. Baffert's care, suffered a non-racing or training-related death this weekend at Los Alamitos. That fatality will be posted on the CHRB website today, as is the practice, with the note: “Respiratory – Pneumonia (pending).” A necropsy will be performed and a fatality review conducted pursuant to the law and CHRB regulations.

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Maiden Hudson Ridge Overcomes Trouble To Win Santa Anita’s Cinema

Despite a tumultuous start, longshot maiden Hudson Ridge ran like a short-priced favorite in Sunday's $100,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as the son of Bob Baffert's 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah overhauled pacesetting Jimmy Irish turning for home and then outran recent stakes winner Sword Zorro to the wire, winning by 1 ¼ lengths. Trained by Baffert and ridden by Abel Cedillo, Hudson Ridge got 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:49.06.

With American Pharoah's As Time Goes By victorious in Saturday's Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes, the white haired training wonder rolls on, as Hudson Ridge thus provided Kentucky-based “Pharoah” with his second stakes winner of the weekend.

Breaking from post position three in a field of five sophomores, Jimmy Irish, with Victor Espinoza up, appeared to bobble shortly after the break and then veered sharply outward, slamming favored Hubris to his immediate outside, who then swerved outward into the path of Hudson Ridge.

“I gotta give Abel's agent, Tom Knust, the credit for this one,” said Baffert. “I nominated for the race, but I wasn't planning on running here and he said we should, that the horse had trouble last time and that he'd fit well with these horses. The break, I don't know what happened. It was crazy.

“I didn't know who caused it…After that, Abel did a great job, he didn't panic, he got him in a smooth (rhythm)…Then down the backside the four (Hubris) was out of it and turning for home…He's a horse that hadn't really shown us that much, but it's a big weekend for American Pharoah.”

Winless in four starts and a troubled second versus maidens going a flat mile on turf here May 1, Hudson Ridge, who is out of the Galileo mare Shell House, was off at 5-1 and paid $13.60, $6.20 and $3.20 while providing Baffert with his meet-leading 15^th stakes victory.

“Last time, I should have won the race, but in the stretch, I got in a little trouble,” said Cedillo. “My agent told Bob there was a stake coming up and to let me ride him back. I think (the start) affected my horse a little because that took me a little wide, but thank God, I put him in a perfect position. I just followed the speed (Jimmy Irish) and in the stretch I had a lot of horse.”

Owned by Double L Racing and Natalie Baffert, Hudson Ridge, who has run on turf in four out of his five starts, banked $60,000, increasing his earnings to $75,140.

Irish-bred Sword Zorro, the second choice in the wagering at 9-5, was free of any trouble at the break, as he was positioned inside of the erratic Jimmy Irish. From there, he fell into what appeared to be a perfect trip, as he loomed three-wide and full of run turning for home, but was no match for the winner. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Sword Zorro, who finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Airman, paid $3.60 and $2.40.

Airman, who broke from the rail with Juan Hernandez, was off at 4-1 and paid $2.60 to show while a tiring Jimmy Irish finished fourth, 2 ¾ lengths in arears.

Hubris, the 8-5 favorite with Flavien Prat, was slammed hard at the break and although he was second into the first turn, back up readily as the field turn up the backside and was eased five furlongs from home.

Fractions on the race were 23.49, 48.07, 1:13.50 and 1:37.66.

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