Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Show Continues in Preakness

BALTIMORE, MD–Immediately after the May 1 GI Kentucky Derby, it appeared that the GI Preakness S. two weeks hence would be a routine affair. Trainer Bob Baffert would be heading to Pimlico with a record seventh Derby victory under his belt and he would be in the enviable position of trying to collect his eighth win in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. And then the unthinkable happened. The Derby winner, Medina Spirit (Protonico), tested positive for Betamethasone, a substance banned on race day. That single event sparked a week of drama, statements, interviews and a ton of speculation. Initially, the public was told the horse did not receive the drug. Then, it was discovered the colt, who had been wrestling with a skin condition, required an anti-fungal. Enter Otomax, said anti-fungal which contains, you guessed it, Betamethasone. As the week progressed, the speculation continued, lawyers racked up billable hours and later in the week, the local officials gave the green light for the Baffert horses to race after early testing came back negative for any prohibited substances. While many must have given a sigh of relief, the next hurdle remains, can Medina Spirit follow up with a win Saturday? Will a victory silence his detractors or will it simply give the media more fodder for the ensuing three weeks to the June 5 GI Belmont S.? And while the morning line favorite appears to be, at least on paper, the one to beat, nine rivals will try to stand in his way.

Team Spirit
Which ever way you cut the cake, Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit and stablemate TDN Rising Star Concert Tour (Street Sense) enter Saturday's Classic with the deepest credentials. Medina Spirit took his debut at Los Alamitos last December before finishing second in the Jan. 2 GIII Sham S. to another Baffert monster, TDN Rising Star Life Is Good (Into Mischief). That duo met again in the Mar. 6 GII San Felipe S. and once again, Medina Spirit had to settle for second–beaten eight lengths–while the early Derby favorite was forced to the sidelines after suffering a leg injury in training later in the month. Medina Spirit forged on the Apr. 3 GI Santa Anita Derby, and finished runner-up behind Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}). Sent off no better than 12-1 for the Derby, Medina Spirit went to the front and never looked back en route to a half-length victory over 26-1 chance Mandaloun (Into Mischief).

Taking a difference approach early in his 3-year-old season, Gary and Mary West's Concert Tour earned his Rising Star status with an emphatic score going six panels at Santa Anita before making it two straight with a victory in the seven-furlong GII San Vincente S. Feb. 6. Back on top in the Mar. 13 GII Rebel S. over 8 1/2 furlongs, he finished third in the Apr. 10 GI Arkansas Derby.

Medina Spirit, accompanied by a returning John Velazquez, exits the three hole, while Concert Tour breaks from the 10. Mike Smith gets the call.

“[Concert Tour] is a speed horse, so he will get out of there and get a position and be on the outside somewhere,” said Baffert assistant Jimmy Barnes. “I think we're fine with both our positions. They are both front-running horses, so they will probably will be up there in the clear, hopefully. He's one that is placed forwardly in the racing. Being on the outside should be fine.”

Chad Brown offers up two in this year's Preakness renewal, Crowded Trade and Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro). The former won at first asking at the Big A before coming up a nose short in the Mar. 6 GIII Gotham S. Mostly recently, the chestnut came from off the pace to finish third behind a pair of longshots in the Apr. 3 Wood Memorial S. Risk Taking came home a winner in two consecutive starts, including the Feb. 6 GIII Withers S. before offering little when seventh as the 2-1 choice on the Wood. Javier Castellano climbs aboard Crowded Trade for the first time, while Jose Ortiz joins Risk Taking.

“Crowded Trade ran a really good race in only his third start,” Brown said. “He did hang a little bit in the lane, but he made up a lot of ground after breaking bad. Risk Taking was quite a disappointment that day. He was coming into the race in excellent form and his numbers were heading the right way. He just didn't fire.”

According to Brown, Risk Taking took a lot of kickback in the Wood, causing the colt to have one eye closed the following day.

“Clearly, the kickback impacted him to some degree,” Brown said. “Whether that fully explains why he just quit in that race, I will never be certain of it. I am just going to draw a line through that race. I just hope he can get back to his race in the Withers, which would put him in contention here.”

Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), winner of the Jan. 16 GIII Lecomte S., followed up with a third behind Mandaloun in the GII Risen S. before finishing second in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20. Typically on or near the engine in his races, the imposing bay broke slowly after the ground gave away under him at the start of the Kentucky Derby, leaving him uncharacteristically far back in the early going. He rallied to finish a respectable sixth.

“We're expecting a very good run from him,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who previously won the Preakness with Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. “I thought he was in great physical shape going into the Derby..everything was going extremely well. Missing the break did not put him in the position necessary for him to have success. From where he was, he ran reasonably well but not good enough. Here we are with a lot of horse going into the Preakness and expecting a better outcome.”

Midnight Bourbon exits Post 5 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons for the first time.

GII Kentucky Jockey Club winner Keepmeinmind (Laoban) has failed to hit the board in a trio of starts this term, including a seventh in the Kentucky Derby, but his trainer Robertino Diodoro thinks the late-closing colt can turn things around Saturday.

“The only thing is, the race is run on dirt and not paper,” he said. “You know how that goes sometimes. But on paper, I think there's definitely enough pace and the smaller field helps. I think we drew well [Post 2], and will stay on the rail as long as we can..You got to worry about your own horse, and we're not going to change our running style. We tried that once a couple of starts ago, because of the lack of speed and it didn't turn out [fifth in the GII Blue Grass S. Apr. 3]. We're going to go back to our normal way of just worrying about our horse and hoping he's doing well–and definitely don't take him out of his element.”

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Pimlico: Preakness Headlines Busy Weekend In Maryland

The 146th Grade 1 $1 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday, the second jewel of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, will be run at 1 3/16 miles. The Preakness is the centerpiece of nine graded stakes races to be run at Old Hilltop on Friday and Saturday.

NBC Sports will broadcast the Preakness live, with coverage beginning Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage from Pimlico begins today at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the 97th running of the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and continues Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Over the two days, NBC Sports will cover nine races live.

Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) will broadcast live on Saturday from 5-7:30 p.m. ET from Pimlico via NBC Sports Audio channel on SiriusXM channel 211, along with terrestrial affiliates throughout the United States.

TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will be live on Saturday on FS2 from 2-2:30 p.m., and from 4:30-6:30 p.m. featuring the live programming at Belmont Park. On Sunday, May 16, “America's Day at the Races” will air on FS2 from 12:30-5:30 p.m. ET.

Friday, May 14

3:07 p.m. ―$150,00 Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series Stakes at Pimlico on TVG

New Jersey-bred Horologist, trained by Bill Mott, leads eight fillies and mares entered in Friday's $150,000 G3 Allaire DuPont Distaff at Pimlico as the 3-1 morning line favorite. A 5-year-old daughter of Gemologist, Horologist, ridden by Junior Alvarado from post five, is seeking her fourth career graded stakes win, which includes last October's G2 Beldame Stakes. Horologist won her first start of the year, the listed 1 1/8-mile Top Flight at Aqueduct, by a length over Mrs. Danvers. The latter, owned by Joseph Allen and trained by Shug McGaughey, won last November's G3 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct. The Elkstone Group's Getridofrwhatailesu exits very tough G1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, where she finished behind Letruska, Monomoy Girl and Shedaresthedevil.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA8-EQB.html

4:09 p.m. $150,000 Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on TVG

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Abrogate, trained by Steve Asmussen, and WSS Racing's Joyful Cadence, trained by John Ortiz, the 1-2 finishers in the listed Purple Mountain Stakes at Oaklawn on April 3, are among the favorites as nine 3-year-old fillies go to the post in the six furlong $150,000 Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. The local standout is Lucky 7 Stables' Maryland-bred Street Lute, who won five consecutive races at Laurel Park, but will be stepping into graded-stakes company for the first time for trainer John J. Robb.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA10-EQB.html

5:12 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 3 Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes on NBCSN

WinStar Farm's and China Horse Club's Fearless is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the G3 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special against 10 rivals. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden from post two by Irad Ortiz Jr., Fearless won the G2 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes on Feb. 27, and was second by a half-length last time out on April 10 in the G2 Oaklawn Handicap. The Bill-Mott-trained Modernist won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct on April 10 by 2 ½ lengths. GMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith and Cypress Creek Equine's 5-year-old Maryland-bred Harpers First Ride won last year's Pimlico Special when it was held in October. Trained by Robert Diodoro and ridden from post seven by David Cohen, Harpers First Ride has won 10 races but is winless in his last three starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA12-EQB.html

5:44 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on NBCSN

Friday's featured G2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan will be run for the 97th time with a field of ten 3-year-old fillies entered. Godolphin's Adventuring, trained by Brad Cox, has started just four times, but has won both her races this year. After breaking her maiden at the Fair Grounds in February, the bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile captured the listed 1-mile Bourbonette at Turfway Park on March 27 by two lengths. Florent Geroux has the mount starting from post nine. Like Adventuring, Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift, trained by Bob Baffert, also will be making just her fifth start. After winning the G3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita Park on March 7, Beautiful Gift finished second by a half-length in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA13-EQB.html

Saturday, May 15

11:44 a.m. ―$200,000 Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico on TVG

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, a four-time winner of the G3 Chick Lang Stakes, sends out West Point Thoroughbreds and Melvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler in this year's 46th running of the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Maryland-bred Jaxson Traveler broke his maiden last September debuting at Pimlico. He has won four of five starts, with his most recent victory coming in the listed six-furlong Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn on April 24. Asmussen also has entered Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt's Mighty Mischief, a 4 ½ length optional-claiming winner last time out at Oaklawn. Lea Farms' Florida-bred Willy Boi, trained by Jeff Engler, won the listed Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream in March.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA3-EQB.html

1:26 p.m. – $150,000 Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico on TVG

Alex G. Campbell Jr.'s 5-year-old mare Mean Mary, 6-5 on the morning line, seeks her fourth graded-stakes win when she makes her 2021 debut in Pimlico's G3 Gallorette at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares on turf. Trained by Graham Motion, last year Mean Mary won the G3 Orchid and the G3 La Prevoyante, both at Gulfstream, and the G2 New York at Belmont, before losing a heartbreaker to Rushing Fall by a neck in Saratoga's G1 Diana. Mean Mary finished seventh in the G1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf to close out the season. The Christophe Clement-trained Feeling Glorious (GB), a six-time winner, was second in the listed Sand Spring Stakes at Gulfstream on March 27. After six starts in France, Peter Brant's 4-year-old Fighting Lady (IRE) won her U.S. debut in an Aqueduct allowance race on April 3 for trainer Chad Brown.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA6-EQB.html

4:30 p.m. ― $100,000 Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Juddmonte's Laurel River made a solid impression with a 4-length maiden special weight score on April 3 at Santa Anita, and has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's G3 Lazaro Barrera for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Bob Baffert trains the bay son of Into Mischief, with Abel Cedillo named to ride. The main challenge should come from Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh's California-bred The Chosen Vron. Trained by Kruljac, The Chosen Vron was third behind Concert Tour and Freedom Fighter in his second start, the G2 San Vicente Stakes, before winning the listed 6 ½-furlong Echo Eddie eight races after Laurel River broke his maiden on the same April 3 program at Santa Anita.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA051521USA3-EQB.html

4:41 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Match Series Stakes at Pimlico on NBCSN

Eleven 3-year-olds will tackle the wide open G3 six-furlong Maryland Sprint Stakes, with Hillside Equestrian Meadows' local 8-year-old gelding Laki getting the chance to show his stuff at Pimlico. Trained by Damon Dilodovico and ridden from post one by Horacio Karamanos, Maryland-bred Laki won his last two starts at Old Hilltop. On April 24, Laki won the listed six-furong Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes, and prior to that, took the G3 Frank J. De Francis last October. Courtland Farm's Strike Power, trained by Steve Asmussen, was one for three at Oaklawn this year, taking an optional claimer and then finishing fourth behind C.Z. Rocket and Whitmore in the G3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 10.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA11-EQB.html

5:38 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico on NBCSN

The Chad Brown-trained Sacred Life (FR) is the 7-5 morning line favorite in an eight-horse field for the 120th running of Pimlico's G2 Dinner Party Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Sacred Life, ridden by Javier Castellano from post 5, has won two of six starts in the U.S. since coming over from France in 2019. He finished third in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in his first start of the year on April 9. Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's 5-year-old Somelikeithotbrown, who finished second in last year's Dinner Party for trainer Mike Maker, and won last year's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch at Saratoga, will try to improve on his seventh-place finish in the April 2 G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA12-EQB.html

5:52 p.m. ―$100,000 Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

A wide-open field of 11 3-year-old fillies are set for Belmont's Soaring Softly at seven furlongs on the turf, led by the 5-2 morning line choice Toby's Heart. Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Manny Franco, Toby's Heart won the listed 5 ½-furlong TVG Limestone Stakes at Keeneland on April 9 to improve her record to three wins in four starts. Trainer Christophe Clement will start Bach Stables' Bye Bye, who broke her maiden by 2 ¾ lengths at five furlongs at Gulfstream Park on March 21, and Hoolie Racing Stable's and Madaket Stables' Hit the Woah, third last time out in the listed Sanibel Island at Gulfstream on March 27.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL051521USA10-EQB.html

5:58 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2

Two-time grade 1 winner Arklow makes his 2021 debut against 13 rivals in the G3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs going 1 ½ miles on the turf. A 7-year-old son of Arch, owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway, Arklow finished second by a head in last year's Louisville Stakes. He won the G3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Cup Turf at Kentucky Downs in September, and after a sixth-place finish in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, closed out 2020 by winning the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Trained by Brad Cox, Arklow will be ridden by Florent Geroux. NBS Stable's 6-year-old gelding Spooky Channel has won nine races for trainer Jason Barkley, including the G3 John B. Connally at Sam Houston in January.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD051521USA11-EQB.html

6:38 p.m. – $1,000,000 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes from Pimlico on NBC

Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit, who upset 18 rivals in the May 1 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs at 12-1, is the 9-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's 146th G1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Pending final pre-race testing results from Maryland Racing Commission officials, Medina Spirit will break from post three under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, leading the 10-horse field of 3-year-olds contesting the 1 3/16-mile middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is trying for a record eighth Preakness win, is also starting Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour (5-2), who incurred his first loss in four starts while finishing third in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn last time out and skipped the Kentucky Derby. Winner of both the G2 San Vicente at Santa Anita and G2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, Concert Tour will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith from post 10. (Pre-race testing results on Concert Tour are also pending).

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon (5-1) remains on the Triple Crown trail Saturday after finishing a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby, 8 ½ lengths behind Medina Spirit for trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Preakness with Curlin in 2007 and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Midnight Bourbon finished second in the G2 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby.

Trainer Chad Brown, who won the 2017 Preakness with Cloud Computing, will saddle Klaravich Stables' Crowded Trade and Risk Taking in search of his second Preakness success. Crowded Trade, who finished third in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct last time out, is rated at 10-1 on the morning line, while Risk Taking, who won the G3 Withers before finishing a disappointing seventh in the Wood Memorial, is rated at 15-1. Crowded Trade drew post four, while Risk Taking will break from post nine.

John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer, trained by Michael McCarthy, came from last at the top of the stretch to win the listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in February, and was recently third in the G2 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland.

Japan will be represented in the Preakness with Yuji Inaida's Kentucky-bred France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, who finished sixth in the G2 UAE Derby at Meydan in Dubai.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA13-EQB.html

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Horseplayers Sue Baffert, Zedan Racing Over Medina Spirit Drug Test

Four horseplayers have filed a class-action lawsuit against trainer Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit's owner, Zedan Racing, over the results of the May 1 Kentucky Derby in which Medina Spirit finished first but now is in jeopardy of being disqualified after Baffert revealed the horse failed a post-race drug test.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by 2012 National Horseplayers Championship winner Michael Beychok of Louisiana; Justin Wunderler of New Jersey (known on Twitter as frequent Baffert critic @SwiftHitter); Michael Meegan of New York; and Keith Mauer of California. They allege they were denied winning bets on the Kentucky Derby in amounts ranging from $100 to as much as $100,000 because of Baffert's “multiple and repeated acts of doping and entering horses into Thoroughbred races, including the Kentucky Derby” that the complaint said constitutes “racketeering activity” under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and laws of the state of California, where Baffert and his stable are based.

Their bets were placed on Mandaloun and other horses in various wagering pools, but were deemed losers when Medina Spirit crossed the wire first and was declared the “official” winner. Eight days after the Derby, Baffert revealed that the 3-year-old Protonico colt tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone and Churchill Downs issued a statement immediately suspending Baffert from racing at the Louisville, Ky., track while the matter is being investigated. While only stewards representing the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission may disqualify horses, the track's statement said Medina Spirit would be disqualified from his Derby win if a split sample confirms the presence of the drug.

The suit was also filed on behalf of “all others similarly situated,” more specifically, “All Kentucky Derby bettors who would have won their bets and winnings had Medina Spirit been properly prohibited from competing in the Kentucky Derby…or competed without the aid of an illegal drug.”

Betamethasone is a legal therapeutic medication used to treat various maladies in horses but its presence is not permitted at any level in post-race drug tests. Baffert first claimed the horse or test sample were contaminated with betamethasone and days later said the positive test may have been caused by a prescription ointment, Otomax, that includes betamethasone as an active ingredient. Baffert said the ointment was used to treat dermatitis after Medina Spirit raced in the Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

In addition to allegations that Baffert violated the federal RICO Act through an enterprise with Zedan Racing “engaged in activities affecting interstate commerce,” the plaintiffs also claim they and the class members were defrauded by a “misrepresentation” by Baffert in November 2020 after a series of medication violations that he was retaining Dr. Michael Hore to “ensure rule compliance” for his stable. A news report earlier this week claims that did not happen.

The plaintiffs are asking the suit to be certified by the court as a class action case and seeking damages that include monetary relief for attorney fees and other expenses, injunctive relief “enjoining the Baffert defendants from engaging in any further racketeering acts,” Imposition of “reasonable restrictions” on Baffert's future activities in Thoroughbred racing, payment to the plaintiffs and class members for money they would have won “but for the illegal doping of Medina Spirit,” plus treble and punitive damages.

Craig Robertson, attorney for Baffert, said the lawsuit was “completely frivolous and without legal merit.”

Read the complaint here

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This Side Up: Like It or Not, All in this Together

This time, it's not just the Susans that have a black eye.

You'll forgive me a little hesitation before addressing the 146th running of a race that can seldom have been staged in so febrile a context. Two weeks ago, I was incautious enough in this column to hope for just a nice, boring Derby, after the rancour of 2019 and the dismal postponement of 2020. Then, last week, I asked why even his own industry had been so ungenerous to a trainer who had now won four of his seven Derbys with horses that had at various times changed hands for an aggregate $54,500.

Me and my big mouth, huh? But then I'm no different from anyone else. Every single member of our community will feel like he or she has something at stake in the latest contamination of its standing in the wider world: from our judgement, to our very livelihoods. By the same token, we all have a share in how we go about repairing matters.

Because this is not just a question of whether or not Bob Baffert can cogently secure exculpation. The merits of his case will be tested by due process. For the rest of us, the imperative will remain the same regardless of the outcome. We cannot keep missing our cue. If all we do is mutter resentfully, every time society turns up the spotlight, then we can't be surprised if the theatre gradually empties until they take off the show altogether.

True, some of Baffert's own peers have responded with candid vexation to the latest and most conspicuous fissure he has opened in perceptions of our sport. They have been irritated by his emotive attempts to depict himself as a victim of “cancel culture”, and to transpose fault from his own regime–which seems, on a charitable reading, at least to be curiously accident-prone–to a lack of regulatory discrimination.

Albeit Baffert has raised the bar, his profession includes many paragons of achievement who have never had so much as peppermint on a horse's breath. These tend to respect boundaries rather than push them. Yet even some who position themselves on the “pragmatic” end of the therapeutics spectrum are exasperated. They view Baffert's history of infringements not as inherently sinister but as tiresome and avoidable.

Some feel that even proceeding to Pimlico with Medina Spirit (Protonico) guarantees a lose-lose scenario both for his connections and for the sport as a whole. To be clear, The Stronach Group have handled an invidious position competently. They couldn't and shouldn't stop the horse running. Nor could they have made their position more accessible and coherent than by a) rightly stating that “we cannot make things up as we go along” while also b) stipulating with Baffert exhaustive pre-competition testing. But it's a horrible situation, all round, with the hapless horse transformed overnight from a symbol of hope to one of despair. If he is beaten, connections will have gained nothing from standing up for his right to run. And if he does win, well, it'll be interesting to hear what kind of reception he gets on returning to unsaddle–and, indeed, when entering the Belmont paddock with his trainer's third Triple Crown on the line.

As we've already suggested, however, the story has already left Baffert and Medina Spirit far behind. (Which is exactly what makes so many people mad at Baffert, even if they consider his horse a perfectly deserving Derby winner.) Predictably enough, the mainstream news agenda has hastened to combine this trauma with various others recently endured by our sport, too wearily familiar to require reprising here. Just as predictably, and just as promptly, apologists have complained of a parallel conflation, so that trainers concerned only for the welfare of their horses are tarred with the same brush as those who cheat brazenly with blood doping or steroids.

But you know what, that's exactly why people out there in Main Street can't tell the difference between, say, Christophe Clement and Rick Dutrow. What else can we expect, if people inside the business keep telling the lay audience that they just don't understand, and please to go away? The choice is clear: insist on our gray areas, or sacrifice them to a corporate clarity of purpose. As it is, what is the world beyond our parish supposed to make of professional associations litigating for what will inevitably be perceived (however unfairly, and however complex the reality) as their constitutional right to dope racehorses?

Medina Spirit this week at Pimlico | MJC photo

We cannot keep putting each new alarm back on “snooze”. It's only human for Baffert, in a corner like this, to be turning round the guns so that it's all someone else's fault: hyperregulation, clumsy veterinarians, whomever. But the rest of us have to do better than that. Whatever the merits of his own case, we're all in that same corner now. And we have to earn, really earn, a way out.

So for now forget all those picograms and thresholds, and whether Baffert is as innocent as he claims, or whether he's a little too reckless, or worse. The fact is that our whole culture, to this point, has enabled far more obviously egregious cases at every point of the compass: guys who are thriving because a) the worst that can happen is that your assistant gets a few days with his name on the racecard and b) too many investors would prefer a piece of a barn's inexplicable strike-rate than to admit that it's actually all too explicable.

Some stables won't even enter at particular tracks, or against particular trainers, because they know they won't be in a clean fight. Many of us, especially when patrons of Messrs. Servis and Navarro professed such amazed indignation, have remembered Captain Renault being “shocked, shocked” that gambling is taking place in Rick's Café. (He is, of course, promptly handed his winnings by a croupier.)

Let's not kid ourselves either that this is only happening at bush tracks, or that we can solve everything by turning Baffert into a pantomime villain. Just as he can't blame everyone else, nor can everyone else blame only Baffert. Do that, and we'll very soon discover how short a slip divides frying pan and fire.

In the end, Captain Renault comes good. But he needs the inspiration of high-principled Victor Laszlo, the one man in Casablanca whose conscience permits him to sleep well. So who, in our business, will step up for that role?

Well, again without presuming any judgement on Baffert himself, it was fascinating to see B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift yet again taking a lead. Hughes prides himself on not giving a damn what other people think, so long as he is satisfied that he is doing right. That attitude has not always endeared his rivals, even if they have largely ended up imitating his every move. And you can bet that nothing has panicked Baffert this week more than Spendthrift “hitting the pause button”.

Having always proudly plowed a different furrow from what the English know as “the Establishment”, Hughes has also been in the vanguard in facilitating microshare entry into elite racing. Quite clearly, he understands how the very survival of our sport no longer depends on the jousting of wealthy egos, but on popular engagement. And that requires us to go out there with absolutely nothing to hide.

If we can do that, then we might be granted the respect and time to solve our other problems: breakdowns, say, or what to do about the whip. (Besides, one of the key premises of hay, oats and water is obviously to prevent breakdowns.) But first we have to go into Main Street ready to show everyone, with undiluted honesty and pride, every single thing we do with these beautiful animals.

Oh, one more footnote. The biggest hole in this horse race may not be where everybody is looking. Because whatever Baffert may or may not have to explain, his peers have fallen badly short in presenting just three of the Derby field for the second Classic. If their regimes are really so wholesome, then they shouldn't be scared of what history tells us: that many a Preakness winner has left behind Derby defeat precisely because of a robustness that wasn't artificial.

It's all very well telling Baffert that he must turn out every pocket when he comes to a big race. But he might be entitled to wonder whether one or two of his rivals meanwhile have nothing to hide except their racehorses.

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