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The Friday Show Presented By Monmouth Park: Lawyering Up

Attorney Bob Heleringer authored the book, Equine Regulatory Law, so there may be no one better to help us understand the legal questions surrounding the potential drug disqualification of this year's Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, and the two-year suspension of trainer Bob Baffert handed down on Wednesday by Churchill Downs.

What legal standing does Churchill Downs have to banish Baffert, since it is not a regulatory agency? What are the Hall of Fame trainer's options and how have the courts ruled on similar actions by track owners? What happens next with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, now that a test of the split sample from Medina Spirit confirmed the initial finding of the corticosteroid betamethasone in a post-race sample?

eleringer – a native of Louisville who in addition to his law practice served 11 terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives – joins publisher Ray Paulick and editor-in-chief Natalie Voss in this week's edition of the Friday Show to answer those questions and more.

He also offers some historical perspective on a previous case that led to the drug disqualification of Dancer's Image from his 1968 Kentucky Derby victory.

Watch this week's show, presented by Monmouth Park, below:

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Maxim Rate Springs $29.80 Surprise In Santa Anita’s Gamely

With the mile and one-eighth distance taking its toll, heavily favored Charmaine's Mia faltered in the final sixteenth in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., and longshot Maxim Rate, ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, took full advantage as she lengthened her stride when it counted to win by a half-length. Trained by Simon Callaghan, Maxim Rate got the 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.61.

Charmaine's Mia, a winner of three consecutive graded stakes at shorter distances coming into the Gamely, took her customary position on the lead but hit the deep end of the pool a sixteenth of a mile from home and Maxim Rate, who stalked the pace while fourth early, was able to take full advantage while holding off a late run from French-bred La Signare.

“We knew she was training really well coming into this race,” said Callaghan. “We felt that the set up (would) be perfect. A mile and an eighth, back here in California, I think is totally her game. We had some speed to run at and it actually turned out exactly how we wrote up the race (in advance).

“The Grade I was our main aim and to pull it off is fantastic for all of the owners, all of the Slam Dunk team, everyone involved. Now, we'll just space the races out and it will be nice to get to the Breeders' Cup.”

A winner of Santa Anita's G2 Goldikova Stakes at a flat mile on turf three starts back on Oct. 25, Maxim Rate was then fifth in her last two starts, the G1 Matriarch at Del Mar Nov. 29 and the G1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland April 10.

Off at 13-1 in a field of seven fillies and mares three and up, Maxim Rate paid $29.80, $12.00 and $7.40.

A 5-year-old mare by Exchange Rate out of the Unbridled's Song mare Catch My Eye, Maxim Rate, who is owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Stable Currency, LLC and James Branham, notched her third graded stakes win and her fourth win from eight starts over the Santa Anita lawn. With the winner's share of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $597,185 while improving her overall mark to 16-6-3-0.

“She broke out of there, really clean break, she relaxed really well for me,” said Hernandez. “She's a very classy filly, you can do whatever you want with her. I had a really good trip and I just waited for the quarter pole to start working on her and when I asked her to go, she took off. She's a very nice filly.”

Ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, La Signare had two horses beat turning for home and proved second best, finishing a half length in front of English-bred Bodhicitta. Based in the Midwest with trainer Brendan Walsh and making her first start at Santa Anita, La Signare was off at 9-2 and paid $6.00 and $4.20.

Idle since Nov. 29, the Richard Baltas-trained Bodhicitta, next to last at the top of the lane, was up to nip last year's Gamely winner, Keeper Ofthe Stars, by a neck for third. Ridden for the first time by Trevor McCarthy, Bodhicitta was off at 12-1 and paid $8.00 to show.

Charmaine's Mia, who was off at 4-5 with Flavien Prat up, finished sixth, beaten nearly four lengths.

Fractions on the race were 22.82, 45.94, 1:09.86 and 1:34.36.

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Country Grammer Holds Royal Ship At Bay To Win Hollywood Gold Cup

In an ultra-game performance, Bob Baffert's Country Grammer battled back inside the length of the stretch and prevailed by a head over Brazilian-bred Royal Ship in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Country Grammer got 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.23 and thus provided Baffert with his eighth Gold Cup win—equaling the legendary Charlie Whittingham, who registered his final Gold Cup win with Ferdinand in 1987.

A measured second, about a half length off of longshot pacesetter Brown Storm a half mile from home, Country Grammer gained the advantage mid-way around the far turn but was immediately engaged to his outside by Royal Ship, who appeared to be in control a furlong from the wire. Country Grammer battled back, however, and got the job done, giving Prat his first-ever Gold Cup win.

“He ran super well,' said Prat. “He broke well and I was able to get myself in a good spot. I was a little worried when I saw Mike Smith (aboard Royal Ship) on the outside of me, I wish I could have kept him inside. Mike took the lead on me, but my horse was really game to come back.”

A 4-year-old colt by Tonalist who had run his first six races for eastern-based Chad Brown, Country Grammer made his debut for Baffert in the Grade II Californian here on April 17, finishing second by a neck to Royal Ship.

Ridden for the first time today by Prat, Country Grammer was off as the 9-5 favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds and up and paid $5.60, $3.20 and $2.60.

Owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Country Grammer, who is out of the Forestry mare Arabian Song, took his second graded stakes and now has three wins from eight starts. With the winner's share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $377,320.

“Elliot Walden and WinStar bought him to bring to California because they figured a mile and a quarter was his distance,” said Baffert. “His form on the dirt was really good last year. It looked like he was beat today, but he kicked it in…It's exciting. He ran a big race last time and just got beat. He was really ready to go today and I think the distance was the key. He got it done with a lot of class and determination.”

Ridden by Mike Smith, Royal Ship was trying a mile and a quarter for the first time and was gallant in defeat, finishing some 4 ¼ lengths clear of Express Train. Off at 3-1, Royal Ship paid $4.20 and $2.80.

Last early, Express Train rallied for third money, finishing a half length better than Rushie. The second choice at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez, Express Train paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the 84^rd Hollywood Gold Cup were 22.92, 47.16, 1:12.09 and 1:37.18.

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No Denying Smooth Like Strait From Grade 1 Victory In Shoemaker Mile

Although he was pressed hard early, Cannon Thoroughbreds homebred Smooth Like Strait unleashed a devastating turn of foot the final quarter of a mile to take Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile by 1 ½ lengths under Umberto Rispoli, who collected his third win of the day at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait, a 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute, got the mile on grass in 1:34.19.

With the Shoemaker Mile being a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, Smooth Like Strait will be entitled to an automatic entry to the 2021 Breeders' Cup Mile, to be run at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Breaking alertly from his number two post position, Smooth Like Strait went to the lead, but was pressed by both Say the Word and Restrainedvengeance, with Say the Word never more than a half length back to his outside in the run to the quarter pole, whereupon Smooth Like Strait opened up a length and half as he straightened up for the stretch run.

“The horse responded beautifully to Umberto, they have become quite the partnership,” said McCarthy, who along with Rispoli, had suffered through a pair of gut-wrenching neck defeats in the G1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 1 and in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 6. “I'm super happy for the horse and the connections. I don't think he was getting the respect he deserved earlier in the year, but he showed up and put together a nice campaign. He was so relaxed for Umberto out there today.

“I've had an immense amount of faith in this horse all along, and I really believe that there are big things coming for him later in the year.”

A four-time graded stakes winner coming into today, Smooth Like Strait was off at 3-5 in a field of six three-year-olds and up and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20.

Out of the Flower Alley mare Smooth As Usual, Smooth Like Strait now has seven wins from 15 starts and with the winner's share of $180,000, increased his earnings to $93,823.

“I love the way (he) runs, (he) puts himself in the race, (he doesn't) cheat and (he's a fighter,)” said Rispoli, who has orchestrated all four of Smooth Like Strait's graded stakes victories. “That's what we jockeys like, we fight with them and go down to the wire together and get the job done.”

Far back early, Say the Word rallied well through the lane to be second by 1 ¾ lengths in front of Restrainedvengeance. The second choice at 5-2 with Flavien Prat, Say the Word paid $3.40 and $2.80.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Restrainedvengeance was off at 19-1 and paid $3.60 to show while finishing a neck in front of Next Shares.

Fractions on the race were 23.46, 46.43, 1:10.09 and 1:22.04.

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