‘Dismissed as a Matter of Law’: The Contentious Run of $3,545,200 Worth Filly Comes to Rest After Kentucky Courts Take a Stand

Equestrian has witnessed some of the greatest horse trainers who trained some of the best horses in the sport. One such name that stands out among this list of trainers is Bob Baffert. He has trained two triple crown winners, American Pharaoh (2015) and Justify (2018), and six of the horses trained by him have won the Kentucky Derby. Apart from this, his trained horses have eight Preakness Stakes, three Belmont Stakes, and three Kentucky Oaks on their names.

Despite having all these achievements to his name, Baffert is also one of the most controversial figures in equestrian arena. One of his trained horses, Medina Spirit, won the Kentucky Derby in 2021 but was stripped of the title after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. This also led to the suspension of Baffert by Churchill Downs Inc. and his license was also suspended. If this was not enough he was also sued by a group of people for who were claiming to have been defrauded by this hall of fame trainer. Now the court has concluded this case as the final decision has been made.

Court’s final decision on the equestrian lawsuit

As reported by Blood Horse, A group of bettors had filed a case against Bob Baffert and Churchill Downs Inc. for the disqualification of Medina Spirit. In the lawsuit, they claimed that they would have won a significant amount of money if Medina Spirit had not won the Derby. Nonetheless, his later disqualification by the stewards did not hamper the official payouts made after the conclusion of the race, and they didn’t include plaintiffs. Now the court has dismissed this lawsuit by the bettors and stated it as a ” dismissed as a matter of law.”

Judge David J. Hale dismissed the legal theories of recovery, which include negligence, breach of contract, violation of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, and unjust advantage. He ruled in favor of the defendants, dismissing the case in his order on July 20, stating that the claims just didn’t hold up under Kentucky law. Now, there are mild chances that there will be a further hearing in this case, as there is not much left for the bettors. This also marks a major breath of relief for Baffert, whose career is already surrounded by dark clouds.

How it all started

This case dates back to the year 2021, when $3,545,200 worth Median Spirit was tested positive for betamethasone with an amount of 21 pg/ml. It is generally given to cure joint pain and is an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid. But there are strict rules that say the drug cannot be used on the day of racing. Baffert, in his defense, stated that Medina Spirit was suffering from dermatitis, and henceforth, the medication given to him contained the drug.

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As a result, Medina Spirit and Bob Baffert had to face the consequences. Baffert was banned by Churchill Downs for two years. Medina Spirit also faced suspension by NYRA from participating in the Belmont Stakes. But the thoroughbred later passed away during a training session in December 2021. The court’s decision could prove to be a significant positive development in Baffert’s professional career over the past two years.

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