Ever since its inception in 1875, the Kentucky Derby races became one of the most elite equestrian competitions. However, along with a treasure trove of recognition, the Kentucky Derby also garnered a hoard full of controversies. The most recent came in 2022 when the winner Medina Spirit was stripped of its title after getting tested positive for betamethasone. Following this, the hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert, who trained the thoroughbred, got inflicted with a ban imposed by Churchill Downs. Now, as his injunction nears the end, Baffert faced another judder.

After finishing the race in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit failed the drug test and hence got disqualified from the win. In the wake of this, in February 2022, Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) foisted a two-year ban on the trainer and suspended his license. Following this, Baffert sued CDI saying it is an unlawful exclusion. However, in May 2023, the Federal court in Kentucky rejected the lawsuit brought by Baffert against Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer faces another jolt from the court

In his lawsuit against CDI, Baffert claimed that Churchill Downs breached his due process rights in his trainer license by extricating him from the races. However, the federal judge dismissed the claims and stated, “undisputed evidence demonstrates that Baffert’s license is not valueless”. 

As per the court, the Hall of Fame trainer can still use his license to train horses and can enter his horse in the equestrian arena to participate in the races. Though he argued that the suspension rendered ramifications on his business, the federal court ruled against it, as he was unable to prove otherwise.

He not only faced repercussions from CDI but also got banned from participating in several other events by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) after the 2021 Kentucky Derby fiasco.

The 147th Kentucky Derby controversy

In 2021, the post-race test of Medina Spirit underlined 21pg/ml of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid used to relieve joint pain. However, per the Kentucky equine protocols, the usage of betamethasone is strictly prohibited on racing day. Nonetheless, Baffert later claimed that Medina Spirit had dermatitis and hence the medication contained betamethasone in it. 

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Following this, NYRA banned Medina Spirit from participating in Belmont Stakes races. Unfortunately, in December 2021, Medina Spirt passed away during a workout session and his Kentucky Derby triumph got annulled in February 2022. After this, Bob Baffert got a 15-month-long ban from CDI until the 2023 spring meet.

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