https://apple.news/AMHLhd9-BTFybY8ZzMKdUpg- from todays Louisville Courier journal. ( I hope I cut and paste this correctly)
Unfortunately, there are a lot of \'Lance Armstrongs\' in this business. I\'m not confused about that.
They just busted a pack of Quarter horse trainers for using magic powder.
https://paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/this-is-no-mistake-louisiana-commissioners-lengthen-penalties-for-trainers-in-zilpaterol-cases/
This Rosendo Valdez clown had 50% winners and earned over 2 million in 2021, much of it for his FATHER as the owner.
https://www.drf.com/news/nyra-hearing-officer-recommends-two-year-ban-baffert
Someone on Twitter said it best....\"at this point if Baffert was pulled over for a broken tail light he would be arrested for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.\"
Good Luck,
Joe B.
Really? This is saying it best? How about "if Baffert was pulled over for a busted tail light he would say he meant to fix it but he was a distracted when he saw a groom pissing on a pile of hay." I like that better. Baffert is not a victim. He has no qualms about dragging down what's left of the credibility of the sport.
HP
Honestly I don\'t think Baffert is an outlier, and in a multi-million dollar competitive industry everyone is skirting the rules while looking for an edge. Baffert is similar to baseball players using steroids (McGwire admitted it and was still allowed to be a coach), the Houston Astros and Yankees stealing signs in baseball (but still keeping their championship), Patriots various cheating scandals, or NCAA basketball coaches recruiting violations (but almost all of them keeping their jobs). In fact in the case of UNC a few years ago was very clear, but the industry decided to keep it in the shadows and just move on...not wanting to impact a winning program or tarnish the legacy of Roy Williams.
\"The NCAA did not dispute that the University of North Carolina was guilty of running one of the worst academic fraud schemes in college sports history, involving fake classes that enabled dozens of athletes to gain and maintain their eligibility. But there will be no penalties, the organization said, because no rules were broken.\"
So I guess the industry as a whole just needs to decide if it is better with a high-profile media friendly person like Baffert, or better without him. Right or wrong, other sports seem to have taken a less aggressive approach.
From the DRF article I cited earlier about the possible 2-year ban --
The hearing officer, O. Peter Sherwood, a retired New York Supreme Court justice, recommended the two-year ban after accepting arguments from NYRA's attorneys that the "evidence establishes that Baffert has engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the best interests of Thoroughbred racing in that he has harmed the reputation and integrity of the sport, as well as the public's perception of the sport's legitimacy."
According to Sherwood's report, "NYRA also proved that each time Baffert was charged with a violation he provided an implausible excuse, and blamed others for conduct that he, as the trainer, was responsible for as a matter of law."
As for punishments by other sports you mention --
Astros were fined $5 million and forfeited first and second round picks in 2020 and 2021. Severe enough? Not really -- but I am biased. (Still significant).
Patriots \"Spygate\" scandal resulted in a $500,000 fine for Belicheck, $250,000 fine for Astros and loss of first round selection in 2008 draft. (Pretty significant).
As you say, UNC got off easy.
Maybe, a better comparison of Baffert\'s situation is Marge Schott, former owner of the Reds. Her racist comments led to a 2 year ban from MLB.
Apparently, the judge, during the trial, asked what a paddock is. Among other things.
Again— this is an accidental administration (they listed it as a medication they gave, to the CHRB), by a vet, of something that can't move a horse up (hence it's designation as a Class 2 drug). The horse had to be DQ'd, the rest is hyped up nonsense.
Also again— people who have been here since this site started know that nobody has fought longer or harder against PEDs than yours truly. This ain't that. It's the industry pretending it's doing something about that, instead of spending the money and doing the work to really do it.
Some months ago we helped the Jockey Club develop a tool to identify possible cheaters. As far as I can tell the over/under of racing offices using that tool is close to zero.
Did the tool you developed ever point in the direction of BB?
Why do you think they are hell-bent in taking down Baffert in the states of New York and Kentucky? Just asking. I agree most of this is \"hyped up nonsense\" but they are really after him. I say again that in my opinion it is because he (under the surface) is very unlikeable. Also, arrogant; refuses to accept ANY responsibility for anything; acts like he is untouchable (he IS in California); and has too many lawyers and friends in high places.
He has really pissed of those who run racing outside of California. Should that matter? Possibly not -- but it always does.
My wife spent a lifetime on the back stretch of tracks , so I asked her if grooms piss in the horses stall, she said all the time, the horses do it.
If they are testing at those levels, picograms, if the horse would eat the straw that the groom just pissed on, logic would have it that the horse would ingest whatever toxins are in the urine from the groom. The problem I have with trainers , BB included, is not running a tighter ship, they should tell the grooms not to piss in the stalls, how about wearing latex gloves so as to not cross contaminate with lidocaine, BB said he needed to run it clean like a hospital, not a barn, and he did not.
He doesn\'t move them up . They start up .
On a side note
Taiba trained 6F today
jwbcardinals Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Honestly I don\'t think Baffert is an outlier, and
> in a multi-million dollar competitive industry
> everyone is skirting the rules while looking for
> an edge.
How did you verify everyone is skirting the rules.
Brilliant!
I don't get to see what it spits out. It certainly would have flagged that Belmont day a few years ago.
I\'m sure. Was speaking more generally, since he mostly develops his own , you don\'t get to see a big jump up , as you do from a claiming barn
Interesting article accompanying work video on HRN:
https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Yakteen_hopes_to_cash_his_lottery_ticket_in_first_Kentucky_Derby_try_123
I\'ll be interested to read what more experience workout watchers have to say about this work. It looked to me like his workmate (3yo who broke maiden in 9th start last out) was waiting on him. [Edit: workmate was a 4yo]
Given that he didn\'t start until March of his 3yo year, Taiba obviously has had issues. Isn\'t the sheet theory that you want to catch ouchy horses early in a form cycle?
How come a guy like William Fires never has these problems?
\"accidental administration\"
\"hyped up nonsense\"
\"toxins from groom\'s urine\"
This thread is hilarious.
Dutrow got 10 years for what again??
Baffert is an absolute STAIN on the Sport of Kings. The Kings keep trying to save him but CDI and NYRA are finished with his childhood excuses. Insert Applaud Emoji Over and Over and Over.
I hope the Japanese horse wins the Derby. Note I said \"hope\" which means I do not see this as a race where I have any strong opinion. How can you with two former Baffert horses in the race? Someone can tell me how great a race it is to bet but this year is No Go for wagering for me at this point although I will be in attendance.
Rez,
One thing I\'ve wondered is why the Baffert camp was against the in person Maylin depo in a KHRC matter? The judge said In Person will be allowed as I understand it.
Some may recall a Times Union article I posted a while back that had lengthy info about Maylin. It likely was dismissed as propaganda that is trying to tear down racing. That aside, here is what I recall. . . that Maylin has a long list of frozen samples that he just can\'t figure out why there is something not quite right with them.
Depo Q Number 2 after Name, address, occupation, etc.: Dr. Maylin, are any of those samples that you can\'t identify what\'s not quite right ones that are from horses that were trained by Mr. Baffert?
Baffert Camp: OBJECTION OBJECTION OBJECTION. . . . .
________________________________
From the article:
The 81-year-old scientist with tidy white hair pulled open the vault-like door to his freezer and revealed floor-to-ceiling rows of preserved samples — over 500 vials of blood and urine in clear tubes the length of a finger. Each was drawn from a racehorse and has been set aside because it contains a peculiar, as-yet-unknown substance. Maylin is working and waiting for the day when he has the right test or technology to identify each one.
"Some samples are 10 years old," he said, closing the door and plunging the mystery samples back into darkness. He'll keep them until he runs out of space.
Strike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As for punishments by other sports you mention --
> Astros were fined $5 million and forfeited first
> and second round picks in 2020 and 2021. Severe
> enough? Not really -- but I am biased. (Still
> significant).
>
> Patriots \"Spygate\" scandal resulted in a $500,000
> fine for Belicheck, $250,000 fine for Astros and
> loss of first round selection in 2008 draft.
> (Pretty significant).
>
These punishments were garbage. You think fining a Billionaire a few million is significant?
NE forfeiting a late 1st rd pick in exchange for cheating that helped in winning a championship is significant??
Houston lost a couple draft picks big deal.
These punishments were a joke
Tavasco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jwbcardinals Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Honestly I don\'t think Baffert is an outlier,
> and
> > in a multi-million dollar competitive industry
> > everyone is skirting the rules while looking
> for
> > an edge.
>
> How did you verify everyone is skirting the
> rules.
>
> Brilliant!
Substitute the word everyone for many. You get the point
https://harnessracingupdate.com/2022/03/04/chris-oakes-sentenced-to-three-years-in-prison/
this enough??
No, he should be forced to cooperate, the silence is deafening! I think that is a bigger problem than the doping itself, is the silent complicity!
Doesn't John Sadler , Steve Asmussen and Wesley Ward all have more overages, positive tests than BB?
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/irb/sierra/Rules/Documents/Medication/RCI%20Medication%201.2019.pdf
Is Baffert on a program like Navarro and Servis, epo, peptides, anti bleeder, steroid or any other prohibited "performance enhancers " is the true question.And as we know, unless a law enforcement agency with subpoena and warrant powers to order surveillance, pen registers and phone taps and computer intercepts, all we can do is speculate if he is doping, or find out the truth if and/ or when he gets caught.
The problem I believe is the list attached in the link, has all the medication listed with all the withdrawal times for each. In good faith, if the vet gave Gamine a substance that had a 14 day withdrawal guideline, 18 days out, and it's documented in the vets records, that's a tough one.
Usually an attorney instructs their client to shut up, get some facts and deal with it factually. BB coming out and blaming everyone except himself was a bigger issue for me than the overage.
One , for the trainer's absolute responsibility for anything that is in the horse. He handled that badly, and should of just shut up.