Baffert Should Be Afforded Due Process

[Strike]

Mr Bee, I always enjoy your stories and writing ability -- don\'t have a clue what you do for a living but if writing isn\'t part of it -- it should be.

I have said before I have gambled on horses since the late 70\'s and have owned horses since 1990. THIS is a turning point for me. If Baffert comes away unscathed -- again -- with a split sample positive -- I am done. I have had the highest \"highs\" being part of 8 Grade 1 winners and making friends along the way (and, yes -- the stories).

This is gut check time. If nothing happens bye bye and I will find something else to take its place. We are looking at the underbelly of horse racing and it ain\'t pretty. If the powers that be don\'t care then I don\'t either.

[TGJB]

If the split sample comes back positive he’ll be DQ’d out of the Derby regardless of how the drug got there.

If you think things are messy now, wait til after Saturday if Medina wins again and heads to NY. If he tests clean before and after and runs well what will it mean?

[richiebee]

Strike thanks for the kind words.

If this split sample confirms original results, and Racing does not take its
opportunity to sanction a high profile repeat offender, lets do away with the
whole notion of the \"Sport of Kings\" and bring in Vince McMahon to be national
racing czar.

Beta Bob\'s current problem is that he is messing with the BIG money--Grade I
races, stallions worth millions. Stallion value is of course determined by
pedigree and statistics so it is unlikely the value of an Arrogate, AmPhar,
Justify or Authentic will be affected by the fact that they were trained by
Baffert.

Baffert really made a problem for himself by messing with the only race run at
any of the CD tracks that CD really cares about; CD\'s action was swift and certain.

I think BB\'s business will suffer whether he is sanctioned or not; sadly ALL of
Racing is suffering now due to BB\'s actions and behavior.

[trackjohn]

Richie

Agree 100%

JB... If what you suggest comes true then it\'s nothing more than a total shit show...

Then again it might be just what this game needs...

John

[richiebee]

JB:

Of course this would end up in court but it would be interesting if NYRA made ME\'s
entry in the Belmont contingent on a clean Derby split sample.

[trackjohn]

Richie:

Don\'t be surprised if that\'s EXACTLY what they do...

[Fairmount1]

Richiebee wrote:

a high profile repeat offender

_________________________

Hate to quibble but you spelled the word SERIAL wrong above.

[trackjohn]

Fairmont...

I thought it was Cereal? Lol...nice to see you posting again!

John

[Fairmount1]

If anyone doesn\'t think Baffert has not thought about, asked, or pondered how to influence the testing lab he will choose (of potentially 7 labs) for the split sample, they are delusional.

Meanwhile, Lukas is out there sending messages to the split sample lab saying “I would absolutely today tell my colleagues that we need to just dismiss this, throw it out, put the Derby winner back on the throne and move on. You almost think the lab should probably have poured it down the sink in the first place.”

These guys are buddies and pals now.  Back in the good old days, Lukas said Baffert \"has been on scholarship his whole life.\"  

Racing sure is the best entertainment.  Used to be for gambling reasons but now it is for the absurdity of all this nonsense.  I have to wonder what the good folks of other racing countries think of this whole fiasco.

[Fairmount1]

I\'ve attempted to change my name to FanDuel Racing fka Fairmount but I don\'t recall the vital info in my TG account to change it LOL

[TGJB]

Richieâ€" My point is, what would that say about the importance of the Derby positive, and the likelihood of it being an attempt to cheat?

[richiebee]

JB there is a lot going on there. I am not certain that the trainer’s intent/ attempt to cheat is even relevant. As Fairduel’s Jesuit law professors likely taught him, mens rea is not an element of the offense.

If the split comes back clean that calls the entire testing process into question. Send samples to two other labs?

I know BB is a lightning rod but for me too many voices out there saying that injected hock/stifle too close to race day could produce the overage found in ME. If this is a horse with a weak hind end and he even competes in three races in five weeks without lasix that would be quite a training feat.

[Strike]

I guess your point is the testing regulations are flawed and need to be changed. I cannot argue with that. But, for the time being the rules and regulations are what they are. Real time. Everyone either knows them or should not be training, owning or providing vet services.

If he is disqualified from the KY Derby for the positives -- he deserves it. If he wins the next 2 Triple Crown races and is clean -- he deserves it. But that doesn\'t in any way -- to me -- mean that he deserves the KY Derby win if he is disqualified -- under the current rules/regulations.

You are much more confident that if he gets another positive -- albeit outside of his home track -- that he will suffer the consequences.

[TGJB]

No. My point is not about testing and punishment (this time, I’ve been banging that drum for over 15 years). If the positive is confirmed the horse has to be DQ’d, no matter how it got there, barring someone actually flaking him.

My point is the effect of that drug, in this situation, was negligible. I will handicap that horse in the Preakness as if the whole thing had not happened. And any serious trainer would know that, and that the horse was sure to test positive. I told someone hours before the ointment story broke that it was going to turn out to be something like that. Againâ€" I’m not taking a position on Baffert in general or saying he’s an angel. But by far the most likely explanation is exactly what he has said, simply because he’s not stupid, nuts, or self destructive.

[Strike]

makrmark Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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?

The \"double the limit\" was the media (because of Baffert\'s lawyer) reported mistake. The overage was not double because the allowance of the positive rating is zero. The lawyer, and then the media, said the allowance was 10 and the reading was 21.

The rules are it must be zero and it was 21.