Baffert Should Be Afforded Due Process

[Strike]

rezlegal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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?

100% agree with you counselor.
I haven\'t read any speculation as to why Baffert jumped the gun and admitted the positive before the split sample was tested. Not normal procedure. He explains \"transparency\" and other nonsense but there must be a well thought out strategy for doing so by his lawyer (who we are all becoming much too familiar with over the years).

[HP]

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. But now we’re getting into one of my areas of expertise. Lying.

I read what Baffert said - a groom took cough syrup and pissed on hay that the horse ate? This is a lie, and not even a good one. Today we’re on to ointments. He used an ointment on the horse and that’s how it happened. What happened to the pissing groom? Who is he? Was he fired? The leading trainer in the world has grooms pissing on hay.

He’s got to go. Enough is enough. Where there’s fire there’s fire.

[Aceover]

Asking my non-equine vet about it he said that it seemed that you would have to be using a ridiculous amount of cream to get that level to show up in the test.

It would be passing through skin, tissue, organs etc.

[grinder]

I am trying to understand how he did not know before yesterday that Otomax contained a steroid derivative.

The vet didn\'t mention it ever - and he thought not to ask? Especially, with all the positive tests last year, and his heartfelt promise to so better - seriously?

[Silver Charm]

Then at that point the Stewards will faced with a tough call.

Baffert can take the High Road and declare he would NEVER ignore the health and well being of one of his animals. He has now checked that box with the Animal Lovers.

He can then declare that his horse was a $1,000 Rag\'s to Riches Story that isnt what the Bluebloods prefer. Like Maximum Security. And he has now checked that box.

He can declare the Derby isnt Fixed because I\'ve won at least 6 of them. But when the Winner is being declared by Stewards in a box and not the horse who crossed the finish line first....you have to wonder. And he has now checked that box.

Accept the DQ and win the Preakness and Belmont and leave everything with an Asterik. His reputation is in tact. Racing can always say they were the Ethical Good Cop and see how that goes over....

[Molesap]

Do a Google search of Otomax. While it comes in various packaging I am sure, in all of the pictures I have seen Betamethasone Sulfate is clearly under the brand name and also on the ingredients list. I am skeptical this was the cause, but if it was whoever was administering it the horse probably should not be taking care of racehorses. And if it wasn\'t they definitely should not be taking care of race horses as it is something worse. Whether it was an oversight, poor judgment or something much worse, Baffert is ultimately responsible one was or another if the overage is confirmed. If so, Medina Spirit should (and likely will) be disqualified.

[TGJB]

Scott, we missed your rants.

[T Severini]

HP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. But
> now we’re getting into one of my areas of
> expertise. Lying.
>
> I read what Baffert said - a groom took cough
> syrup and pissed on hay that the horse ate? This
> is a lie, and not even a good one. Today we’re
> on to ointments. He used an ointment on the horse
> and that’s how it happened. What happened to the
> pissing groom? Who is he? Was he fired? The
> leading trainer in the world has grooms pissing on
> hay.
>
> He’s got to go. Enough is enough. Where
> there’s fire there’s fire.


The groom pissing upon the hay is classic!  

Ol Bobby is not doing himself much of a favor is he?  Poor Bobby, the innocent white dove.

[HP]

Thanks!

He’s a liar. The ointment story proves it. He knew the pissing groom thing wasn’t enough so like all liars he moved on and made up more. I believe everything JB says about this episode but I also believe what’s being detected is covering up something else. Every year this guy pulls the rabbit out of a hat? No way. He’s racing’s Lance Armstrong.

He said “I never gave the horse that stuff.” There’s a period at the end of that sentence. If it’s true. If it isn’t, we’re up to pissing grooms and ointment. Others are doing a good job here on the ointment story, which is RIDICULOUS. I’m sticking with the groom.

How come no one in what Hunter Thompson called “the sporting press” in his famous Scanlan’s piece on the Derby is following up on this pissing groom? I’d like Baffert to produce him so he can verify the story. If he’s real he must have a name? Baffert made it sound like a routine thing. He’s pissing on hay after taking cough syrup. Sure! What kind? I’m a Robitussin man but I’d like to know what a top groom uses. Please give me five minutes to ask Baffert questions. He could probably sell these chumps the Brooklyn Bridge. But now that we’re into ointment the groom story probably dies. It shouldn’t.

It’s rare I can be so positive, but I know lying! Detective HP! Signing off. Be well my friends! And please let’s hope someone in charge has a lick of common sense to see BB for what he is.

[Boscar Obarra]

Spendthrift has afforded Bob  some free stalls

https://www.drf.com/news/spendthrift-moving-some-its-horses-bafferts-barn

[philywheel]

Medina better not run up the track.Thats why BB not showing up, imagine him having to answer to the media

[Strike]

On the Churchill Downs suspension -- \"I thought I had a good relation(ship) with them with all the stuff I\'ve done with my Triple Crown winners,\" he said. \"I\'m the face of the sport (emphasis added) and I\'m trying to promote my sport. And that was a pretty low blow, what they did yesterday. I wish they would\'ve called me.\"

OK -- last time we had a bandaid cause a positive. Now, we have either a pissing groom OR MAYBE an ointment applied to the rear end of the horse. Not, sure which but I am focusing on being transparent. I really really am. (Sure you are Bob).

Really, a pissing groom? You are now making a mockery of this!


All of clear minded people involved with this beautiful sport should feel like the rear end of your horse, Bob. Enough!

[trackjohn]

Richie:

I have had private conversations with more than a handful of folks who are well known on this board... What should alarm the racing \"Powers That Be\" is a fact that everyone I\'ve spoken to have significantly reduced their wagering bankrolls limited the over the past 6 months... One of the major reasons is the use of PED\'s... Who\'s using when?...who\'s not using when?...Lasix off/lasix on, etc... And now this... I\"ve been to the Preakness >15 times in the past 30 years...Haven\'t been there in the past 5 years only because Pimlico has become a degraded shell of itself... However I always had a significant bank roll wagering remotely on the Preakness card via NyraBets...

NOT THIS YEAR...

How can anyone wage ANY significant money not knowing just what the hell is going on with medications?  

I\'ve owned thoroughbreds and was fortunate to win at Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga, Monmouth the Meadowlands and even Gulfstream...also, over the past 5 years I\'ve been in the top 5% of wagerers with NYRABETS..NOT ANYMORE.

I\'m not completely done with this game...but I\'m really close

[wrongly1]

The day for me was June 9th 2018.  The move ups and arrogance that Baffert put on displayed that day was utterly shocking.  I complained throughout the Saratoga meet and through the BC, but by then we had Navarro and Servis.

I live in Louisville and gave up my box this year, as CDI lost there minds with pricing.  Thankfully, I can still make an appearance at Keeneland every so often.  I\'ll wait until Kentucky Downs opens before I will even consider putting any meaningful wagers through the window again.

My doubt is that any sort of meaningful change comes from this.

[richiebee]

John it’s great to hear from you and hope you are doing well.

The sad thing is that your story is a common one. The people who really love the racing game can’t be happy with what is going on on many levels. Sadly Racing doesn’t respond to horseplayers because we have shown absolutely no inclination to band together and speak with our wallets. Think Racing would get the message if 10-20,000 horseplayers got together, created a “manifesto” and said they would not bet a single dollar on Preakness weekend? That might be a start and is unlikely to happen.

Personally the game provides me with a once a week puzzle to solve; I will usually pick a multi race wager, usually a late Pick 4 or Pick 5. So my exposure is very limited though I must admit it has become a more challenging puzzle. Total time invested in racing 2021 maybe 3-4 hours study, 2-3 hours watching racing per week. I do not even look at entries/results during the week.

Between 1980-marriage(2001),Racing was my whole life. Working on the backstretch, seeing as much live racing as possible, reading as much about racing as possible, totally consumed. For all of that worshipping/ wagering I mostly have a barrel of boozy memories and a bunch of stories many of which I can’t tell and most that no one would believe anyway.

Was my 20 year infatuation with Racing such that I would “trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday”? Probably not, but I have met such a wide range of people at the trackâ€" you, Frank, JB, Uncle Bill, the backyard gang. I got to meet Fairmount and I think we were able to figure that his father and I were swimming in the same mutuel pools at defunct Cahokia Downs outside of St. Louis. So while the quality of racing may be in the tank, there always seem to be interesting folks attracted to the game.

Then of course there was the big Jamaican guy on the third floor at Belmont who called all white people by the same name (Mafia) (I was once at Belmont with a girlfriend, he called her Mrs. Mafia). Of course there was The Caveman, the walking embodiment of bad luck. If you were waiting for a photo to be posted, or your number was flashing in an inquiry, and you saw Cave walking towards you, or even saw him out of the corner of your eye, don’t worry about cashing.

Racing certainly not what it used to be, but then again other previously favored modes of diversion such as golf, broad jump, all night drinking binges etc are certainly more inaccessible at my age and in my condition.

I can enjoy a few hours of racing/handicapping a week, as long as I properly manage my expectations. I never expect Racing to be absolutely free of drugs and cheating and apparently despite all the recent initiatives all we have really done is limited whip use and lasix; the big problems are plain to see but remain largely unaddressed.