Bob Baffert and Team Fined $700,000 Over Kentucky Derby Winner Justice’s DQ On Top of His 2021 Suspension Continuing

For anyone in the equestrian brethren, the names Bob Baffert and Mike Smith command some serious respect, given their staggering accolades over the years. However, with Churchill Down Inc. imposing a two-year ban on Baffert over a failed drug test after 2021’s Kentucky Derby win continuing to make his life miserable, it looks like his woes aren’t nearly over.

The horse racing world was rocked only a week ago after famed trainer Jason DaCosta was handed a 15-day suspension order along with nullification of his last year’s Presque Isle Downs win. And now, another popular horse racing figure faces some serious consequences six years after winning the prestigious Santa Anita Derby, and for a very similar reason.

Bob Baffert handed another massive blow

In a recent post on X by the official Blood Horse account, the celebrity trainer’s latest troubles have been shared. Justify, the winner of the prestigious Triple Crown in 2018 under the training of Baffert was expected to lose that year’s Santa Anita Derby winning spot after a court ruling in 2023. And now, it looks like the deeds have finally caught up with Bob and Justify’s jockey Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

“Stewards officially disqualify Justify from his first-place finish in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby (G1)“, reads the caption of Blood Horse’s post. Baffert and team appealed against the 2023 court ruling but was nullified by the California Horse Racing Board. Along with the trainer and the jockey, owners China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, and WinStar Farm were also fined hefty sums of money, totaling just over $700,000.

The disqualification decision will look to pay Mick Ruis, owner of the 2018 Santa Anita Derby runner-up Bolt d’Oro  $300,000 as compensation. The decision came after Ruis alleged that the officials stayed mum even after Justify tested positive for scopolamine after the 2018 race. With the latest development, celebrity trainer Bob Baffert’s situation only worsened from what it has been in recent years.

No end in sight for the celebrity trainer

Despite having trained two incredibly successful Triple Crown winners, the CDI banned Baffert from its tracks after his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was revealed to have failed the post-race drug test. While the medication found in Medina’s blood sample was not illegal, it’s not allowed on race days.

However, despite the ban, horse owners have agreed not to transfer their horses anywhere else in hopes of running the Kentucky Derby this year, as well as missing out on the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. However, Bob maintained that his only focus is to help the sport grow: “I just want what’s best for the game” told Baffert to the LA Times.

And yet, the trainer isn’t backing down without a fight. “I have instructed my attorneys to dismiss the appeal related to the disqualification of Medina Spirit in the 2021 Kentucky Derby“, revealed Bob. With so much cacophony all around, it waits to be seen if Baffert & Co. manages to rise above the muck in the coming days.

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