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Testing On Medina Spirit’s Urine Sample Ready To Proceed In New York

Extra testing on Medina Spirit's post-Kentucky Derby urine sample will begin next week, according to bloodhorse.com. Dr. George Maylin, director of the New York Equine Drug Testing and Research Laboratory, has now received the relevant drug metabolite reference standards from Frontier BioPharm. Testing of the sample is expected to take approximately two weeks.

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. Trainer Bob Baffert and his attorney have claimed the positive is a result of a topical cream (Otomax) 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.

Counsel for Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert and owner Zedan Stables, Craig Robertson, filed a civil suit against the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on June 7 demanding their right to test the split urine sample, which sat undisturbed in the commission's freezer. Remnants of the original biologic samples were initially sent to be tested for those ingredients, but they were reportedly damaged before arrival at the plaintiffs' choice of labs, the New York Equine Drug Testing and Research Laboratory.

Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate ordered June 16 that the remaining urine sample be flown to the New York lab, that two KHRC representatives travel with the sample, and that plaintiffs fund the flight. Upon arrival, the KHRC was to retain 5 milliliters of the sample, while the remainder was to be tested for clotrimazole, gentamicin, and betamethasone valerate, active ingredients in the topical cream Otomax.

On July 14, the sample was flown to New York accompanied by Dr. Clara Fenger and Tom Huckeby, representing Baffert and Medina Spirit's owner, Amr Zedan, as well as by KHRC executive director Marc Guilfoil and equine medical director Dr. Bruce Howard.

On Aug. 9 in Judge Wingate's courtroom, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's general counsel Jennifer Wolsing explained: “My understanding is that an affirmative defense is being mounted by the plaintiffs, to the extent that there may be some evidence as to how this substance (betamethasone) was introduced to the horse.

“We can't have a stewards hearing until those testing results have come back, because that appears to form the basis of the defense the plaintiffs want to mount. We would really like those results so that we can press forward with a stewards hearing and find out more about this case.”

When that hearing occurs, Medina Spirit could be disqualified and Baffert could be fined and/or suspended by the KHRC. A suspension would be reciprocated across other racing jurisdictions.

Since his run in the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit has run four times. He finished third in the Preakness, then won the Shared Belief Stakes and G1 Awesome Again, and finished second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Aqueduct: Under 20’s Claiming Challenge Returns For Winter, SPring Meets

The Under 20's Claiming Challenge will return for the upcoming winter and spring meets at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The program, launched in 2018 and open to local trainers with 20 or fewer horses nationwide, will begin on Thursday, December 9, Opening Day of the Aqueduct winter meet which runs through Sunday, March 27. The Claiming Challenge will come to a close at the conclusion of the 15-day Big A spring meet, which spans Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 24.

The top-eight trainers in the contest will share a prize pool of $80,000, with the winner receiving $16,000. Stall allotments for the Aqueduct winter meet, along with those at the Saratoga and the Belmont fall meets, will be used to determine eligible trainers.

Trainers earn points based on their horses' performances in all winners' claiming races on the main track at Aqueduct from December 9 through the end of the Big A spring meet. Points will be tallied and records verified on May 23, and awards will be granted thereafter.

To retain eligibility, there can be no more than 20 horses on a trainer's roster at any given time, although a trainer's stable may grow above 20 horses through claiming activity. Trainers who had 21 or more stalls allotted in either of the previous two race meets will be ineligible for this year's contest.

Not all horses will be eligible for the contest, and only roster horses can earn points. A trainer may replace a claimed horse who was on their roster with another claimed horse. After a horse is claimed, it will be added to the trainer's roster only at the trainer's request.

Horses in for a tag in an allowance optional claiming race will qualify for contest points. Points are not earned in maiden, allowance, starter allowance or stakes races.

A horse that ends up on the stewards' list for poor performance will not earn the trainer points for that race. Horses that are running for 50 percent or less of the claiming price from their most recent start will only be eligible to earn 50 percent of the typical points for that race.

In addition, horses can only earn contest points for two races within a given 30-day time period. A horse may enter in additional races during that timeframe but will not earn contest points for those additional races.

Contest Point Structure:
Dirt Races – All claiming races for winners, including horses in for an optional tag:
1st Place – 6 points
2nd Place – 5 points
3rd Place – 4 points
4th Place – 3 points
5th Place – 2 points

Turf Races – All turf claiming races for winners, including horses in for an optional tag:
1st Place – 5 points
2nd Place – 4 points
3rd Place – 3 points
4th Place – 2 points
5th Place – 1 points

Trainer Bonuses:
The top-eight trainers in the contest will share in a prize pool of $80,000:
1st Place – $16,000
2nd Place – $14,000
3rd Place – $12,000
4th Place – $11,000
5th Place – $9,000
6th Place – $7,000
7th Place – $6,000
8th Place – $5,000

Important Dates at a glance:
November 27, 2021 – All contest applications due no later than 3:30 p.m.
December 2, 2021 – List of eligible contest trainers posted
December 9, 2021 – Contest begins; Aqueduct winter meet
February 15, 2022 – No additional horses may be added to earn contest points (unless replacing a claimed or injured horse)
April 24, 2022 – Contest ends; Closing day, Aqueduct spring meet
May 23, 2022 – Awards paid out

Past winners of the Under 20s Claiming Challenge:
2021 Belmont spring/summer – Mertkan Kantarmaci
2020-21 Aqueduct winter – Mertkan Kantarmaci
2019-20 Aqueduct winter – Eddie Barker/Mertkan Kantarmaci (tie)
2019 Belmont spring/summer – Mertkan Kantarmaci
2018-19 Aqueduct winter – Mertkan Kantarmaci
2018 Belmont spring/summer – Eddie Barker

For more information, please visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/horsemen/.

The post Aqueduct: Under 20’s Claiming Challenge Returns For Winter, SPring Meets appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Kentucky Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal Of Farms From MGG/Zayat Case

A Kentucky appeals court has upheld a lower court's dismissal of several Thoroughbred entities from a civil suit between MGG Investments and Zayat Stables. The Kentucky Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the actions of Fayette County Circuit Court, which determined the New York investment firm could not sue the purchasers of stallions, mares, and stallion shares sold by Zayat.

MGG sued Zayat Stables in early 2020 after the investment firm said the stable failed to pay back a $23 million loan. Among its accusations against the Triple Crown-winning owner, MGG claimed that Zayat had sold off assets without informing MGG or giving the company the money it was entitled to from those sales. MGG had named Yeomanstown Stud, Hill 'n' Dale, LNJ Foxwoods, Orpendale, and others who had purchased bloodstock assets from Zayat.

Zayat Stables was put under the care of a third-party receiver, and as of early 2021 was down to two horses. Zayat Stables owners Ahmed Zayat has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy since the start of the MGG lawsuit.

New Jersey Commission Approves Nine Additional Dates For 2022

The New Jersey Racing Commission has approved a total of 71 Thoroughbred dates for the 2022 season, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News, with 60 at Monmouth Park (May 7 – Sept. 17) and 11 at the Meadowlands (Sept. 23 – Oct. 29).

That total represents nine more dates than were approved in 2020.

In addition, the commission carrying over a $21,457 Jackpot Pick 6 pool to opening day of the Monmouth meet in May. The pool was scheduled to be paid out on Oct. 30, but that day's card at the Meadowlands was canceled due to rain.