Kentucky Derby 2024: Recovering Amr Zedan’s $10 Million Investment, Muth Goes Awry Once Again

Last week, when the entire horse racing community thought they saw the end of the line for Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby possibilities this year, Amr Zedan refused to give up so easily. The owner of Arkansas Derby winner Muth left no stone unturned in hopes of finding a way out of the fiasco, but his scurrying once again has been met with rigid hostility from the Court of Appeals.

Zedan Racing’s appeal to get a temporary injunction on Bob Baffert’s suspension order by Churchill Downs Incorporated was denied by the Jefferson Circuit Court on April 18. With the Kentucky Derby only a few days away, the celebrity horse trainer’s client sought another emergency remedy as he filed a motion with the Court of Appeals the following day, only to be denied yet again.

In a recent article by BloodHorse.com, Zedan and his horse’s fate has been shared with the fans. The prospect of losing a staggering $10 million isn’t appealing for a businessman like Amr and he refused to take last week’s verdict without a fight, but all seems in vain. The CDI recently made it clear that an appeal last year would make things different, however, with the changed regulations implemented in January, things aren’t so easy anymore.

With that, Bob Baffert’s absence from the 150th edition of the prestigious derby is almost guaranteed. However, another emergency motion can be filed by Zedan with the Kentucky Supreme Court, which seems to be an unlikely course of action in terms of logistics. But that’s not all that Baffert has on his plate right now.

Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby dreams crushed

The Kentucky Derby authorities decided to ban the Triple Crown-winning trainer from entering this year’s race as a repercussion of Medina Spirit failing the post-race drug test in 2021 after winning the same Derby race. On top of that, Baffert’s suspension was made to extend for another 1.5 years, which made fans’ chances of seeing Bob’s banner in the race a long shot. And yet, Baffert’s allies didn’t back down without a fight. Zedan went all in trying to get an injunction order on the suspension just so Muth could give Baffert a chance to bounce back from the allegations that were thrown at him.

Still, this year’s Santa Anita Derby saw Baffert entering Imagination with hopes of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. While the horse finished second in the race, the suspension order barred him from being eligible for next month’s prestigious race. On top of that, a $700,000 fine on Baffert and his buddies made things even worse. But now, with things continuing to be grim for the iconic trainer, fans can’t help but speculate if Bob will be back again to reclaim his elite status next year.