Baffert Should Be Afforded Due Process

[Silver Charm]

Going to be a very awkward week. For him and the Sport. Right now he is fighting for everything he has got. Because this wasn\'t just a horse racing story today. It was on every cable news channel around. And some at the top of the leading hour.

This is a real story. Not Bradley Cooper and De Niro in Limitless.

[jerry]

Hopefully he gets due process

[wrongly1]

Hopefully there\'s a deeper dive into his chemical program!

[T Severini]

Not certain how one says what follows without making reference to one\'s experience with it all, but that is the predicament.

Since 2015 Baffert has been on fire. Having seen horses like Pharaoh and Justify outrun their paths and big figures it was clear something remarkable was going on with Bob Baffert, even while cognizant that to a lesser extent, it always had been. Viewed in the best case scenario, one could surmise it had come all together for Baffert and that his skill in the craft had reached its zenith. Or one could look at it from the other side of the coin and speculate he had found an illegal tonic. Whether the latter could be proven or not was hardly even relevant. What mattered was losing to Baffert Triple Crown Winners that outran expectations. 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021...The Lesson?...Don\'t let Baffert beat you.

So...is he cheating? We all have our own opinions upon that. If he is, one has to hope they catch him. Until then, all one can do is not let him beat you.

[boardedup]

For me the frustrating thing is the amount of the substance and the fact that it’s not a banned substance, your horse just can’t have it in their system on race day.  So if MS had 21 “one trillionths” according to ESPN, I mean the end result likely will be the same as Justify or last year at Oaklawn.  But it’s obvious something is going on and has been for awhile.

But if it has no effect on performance at the detected levels, it’s a none issue for me.  That said there’s obviously something nefarious going on and being Preakness week, this story won’t be going away.

[makrmark]

isnt it disturbing that in the interview he barely acted like he knew what it was but im reading its the same gamine tested for...

[Silver Charm]

Well depending how you are phrasing that what if the 2nd Test comes back clean? Now who do you believe?

Two out of the last 3 Derbies have been decided by Stewards. This means Lawyers. Post the \"Race is Official Finger Pointing\". At least today the Lawyers are taking over Pre Race.....

[richiebee]

Board:

It should bother you that a trainer who saddles multiple graded stakes winners each year for the last two decades maintains a barn that has won the “Most Contaminated” Eclipse Award the last few years..

The fact that the overages always seem so minuscule, and seem to be getting smaller, says to me that Team Baffert is getting ever closer to optimizing withdrawal times under new regulations.

If it ever comes to punishment being meted out, it MUST be considered that many of the overages were in historically important races with multimillion dollar pools.

[BitPlayer]

There is no reason the split sample results should not be available this week.  I know they ordinarily take longer, but this is not an ordinary case.  Money should be no object, and Baffert should be in a rush to be cleared.

The KHRC should also announce whether there were other betamethasone positives over Derby weekend. If there was a problem with test barn personnel or the testing, then it should not be isolated to one horse.  If there was a problem with personnel in Baffert\'s barn, then one of his other horses should also have an issue.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

[BitPlayer]

Quote from Craig Robertson, Baffert\'s attorney, in Wall Street Journal:

\"They provide that list [list of labs for split-sample testing], we choose a laboratory from that list.  The sample gets sent to that laboratory and they perform the testing.  And then the results come back.  There\'s no way that can possibly happen before Saturday.\"

Are you kidding me?  KHRC must have a list at the ready.  Baffert presumably already chose a lab from that list for the Gamine positive.  Fed Ex delivers overnight, and there are faster courier services. Someone calls the lab and tells them to expect this and rush it.  They do the testing (allow a day).  And they e-mail back the results, hard copy to follow.

If this doesn\'t happen before Friday, it\'s because someone either does not want it to happen fast or someone can\'t be bothered.

If a Wall Street firm wanted this done in a hurry, they would have results by tomorrow.

[Boscar Obarra]

I\'m thinking, we can have a futures pool (parimutuel of course) on whether the winner of the derby stays up, or gets to keep to winners purse.

 Be great for hedging.

[Silver Charm]

Expect all charges to be dropped. Order to be restored. This is why you dont jump to conclusions.

As far as the Preakness goes he is coming to town with 2 LIVE horses. 4 of his 7 Derby Winners has been accomplished going wire-to-wire. War Emblem, Justify, Authenticity and Medina Spirit. Bodemeister almost gave him 8!! Saving ground and free from traffic trouble

I fully expect all 9 or 10 other Trainers, Jocks and Connections to take back, dont get caught in a speed dual, save some horse and try and get a piece. Like they have in his Derby Wins. And then when he wins people scream \"he cheats\".....sheeesh!!

[johnnym]

And here I thought I was gonna cash my prop bet.
Prat first two time Derby winner via DQ.

Oh well always another test next year.

My two cents this shit was blown way way out of proportion

[rezlegal]

If the split sample confirms the results of the first, can you explain to the Board why, exactly, the charges will be dropped? Is there an exception in the regs that if the steroid enters the horses system through his behind ( assuming arguendo that was the sole source of entry) rather than his ankle it’s ok?

[makrmark]

so a person who has bac of double or .12 because they ate a rum cake but it didnt effect the outcome of their driving should just get off? I mean miniscule or not this was double the limit...innocent or not this was double the limit..and not the first time...if the split comes back he has to be dq...if not what is the point?