Baffert denies Kentucky Derby doping accusation

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit has tested positive for elevated levels of betamethasone, trainer Bob Baffert revealed Sunday, throwing the horse's victory last weekend at Churchill Downs into question.
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, Baffert denied that the horse had ever been treated with the drug, which is sometimes used for joint pain in horses, saying his team would conduct its own investigation.
"Yesterday I got the biggest gut punch in racing for something that I didn't do," Baffert said, adding it was an "injustice to the horse."
"I don't feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged. But I'm going to fight it."
Betamethasone is an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid that is allowed in horse racing at a certain level. But Baffert said he'd been informed that Medina Spirit's postrace test detected 21 picograms per milliliter -- more than double the legal threshold in Kentucky racing.
Churchill Downs on Sunday announced it would immediately suspend Baffert, barring him from entering horses to race at the track.
#CNN #Newsroom #CarolynManno

[@JoeDoe2]

He is reminding me of Lance 'denial' Armstrong. He even said that one time a 'groom' took cough syrup, then peed on hay, then the horse ate the hay. I'll bet that when he was a kid, his dog ate his homework every day.

[@silky2204]

See letter above.

[@frank6250]

oh how shocked we are...in other news water is wet.

[@konefesa]

Wow, the horse drug himself I didn't do it.

[@XxTheAwokenOnexX]

They've been doping horses, and rigging horse racing results for many decades.

[@tenbelow9617]

They use to shove sponges up their noses and 2 by 4's up her ---. No joke. Baffert got busted giving morphine to a horse and was ratted out by his own employee.

[@konefesa]

Man, how many times Bob Baffert getaways with drugging his horses before the racing committee do something.

[@roninslv]

He's the poster boy, they keep sweeping the doping, and the horse deaths attributed to him under the rug because he sells tickets. Google Jane Allin she wrote some scathing stuff about the serial cheater.

[@rcg9573]

No, he has been caught 29 times just in the past decade. Dating back to the early 1990’s he has over 4 dozen confirmed medication violations.

[@rcg9573]

Stage Door Johnny. True. And Baffert’s doping violations do not include the 7 unexplained sudden horse deaths that occurred in his stable in 2011. During that investigation the CHRB discovered that Baffert had directed his doping vet to put 100% of his stable horses on a weekly administration program of the thyroid accelerant Thyroxine. When the CHRB asked the vet and Baffert to provide blood test proof that any of Baffert’s horses had a hypothyroid condition requiring a thyroid accelerant treatment neither could provide results for any horse in the stable. Yet amazingly the corrupt CHRB swept that one under the rug too, and Baffert was let off with no penalty.

[@elloco1996]

The horse wasn't drugged, Bob Baffert never had face-lifts, and his hair is perfectly natural.

[@bianca-sg8zq]

😂😂😂😂👍🏻

[@pedrothemexican3360]

And we all know that the only reason CNN is giving this story any time is because the horse is black.

[@bianca-sg8zq]

@@pedrothemexican3360 😂😂😂 and it has an Arabic name!!!

[@davemitchell6281]

For some reason this sport reminds me of Pro Cycling

[@JWCFB]

Why is he interviewing a guy who obviously doesn't know much about horse racing?

[@mikejoseph3111]

The drug found is legal but had to high of a dose in its system but it is legal to use up to 14 days before a race

[@NickHurrBoi]

Mr. Baffert please stop trying to convince of your innocence. Btw your profile name is so generic...Mike Joseph, nice try though.

[@rcg9573]

Baffert’s horse Gamine tested more than 3 times over the permitted limit for the same steroid Betamethasone last year. Baffert = doping cheat.

[@innoventions9465]

Failing a drug test! If it's the rules then the appropriate action has to be taken. Someone(s) is at fault (maybe carelessness) but the innocent(s) should not have to pay but receive compensation.

[@tomc8617]

A picogram is one-trillionth of a gram!!! The horse had a mere 25 or so PICOGRAMS in his system!! The drug was and IS a LEGAL one for horses. They just can't have ANY of it in their system while racing at certain race tracks. Such a ridiculously minor amount of a LEGAL drug could probably have found its way into the horse's bloodstream an infinite number of ways! I think what's needed here is a reevaluation of the rules! In fact, with so much money and various honors on the line, it is quite conceivable that some outsider(s) placed the microscopic amount in his food, water, or other things that would eventually come in contact with the horse. It would be a simple thing to do. Who the heck would know? The stuff is invisible to the naked eye.

[@Cubamara]

Baffert can deny all he wants. The ultimate responsibility lies with you, My Man. If Medina's Spirit or Concert Tour run, I won't be watching. Save the Sport.

[@bianca-sg8zq]

I'm not a big Baffert fan, but I find it hard to believe that he'd do this. But then again...I saw Justify win the Triple Crown. It sucked to know that he tested positive after the race. They need to test before the race but they don't want to mess up bets at the last minute...

[@littlesister7021]

Yes, they should test before the race. That would help a lot.

[@jdunlap007]

You are absolutely correct

[@mikestone7185]

They can test before the race all the want . Once the jockeys are in the gate for 20 something seconds anything possible . They where giving BIG BROWN cocaine before his races

[@silky2204]

They did test Medina before the race. Someone tried to nail Baffert.

[@silky2204]

@@littlesister7021 They did.

[@Meatball613]

for a sporting event that involves so much gambling, these test need to be taken prior to race day.. like boxing

[@DarkTempler1]

the do both. didnt you hear? they did it on race day

[@pedrothemexican3360]

And we all know that the only reason CNN is giving this story any time is because the horse is black.

[@donaldcassidy1592]

@@pedrothemexican3360 not Black...dark bay

[@mikejoseph3111]

This drug does not make a horse run any faster it's a anti inflammatory

[@silky2204]

The videos are out there showing the showing the monitoring of the horses. Horse has to check in when leaving stable, trotting to the track, and turning left onto the track.

[@hogansgoat15]

The truth according to Baffert, straight from truth-headquarters in Mar-a-lago? The horse did it.

[@jamescaporale9367]

Watching Baffert do the " grand tour " declaring hes the victim of " cancel culture "I wonder......how would he be reacting if his horse came in second to a horse with the same amount of that drug in his system ..!!!1

[@Rocketpower713]

The Donald Trump of the horses 🐎

[@glober0019]

Why the hell would I go bay to work and wear a stupid mask for 10 hrs/day? No thanks... keep the free money, unemployment coming. Thank you Biden.

[@fenwick401]

No more fair an square wins in sports 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ all rigged all about money

[@journeymansmitty8283]

Well it's just an accusation how many athletes in sports entertainment uses enhancement drugs🤔

[@decepticonsforever]

This is how they make super glue

[@littlesister7021]

Sounds Like Jealousy! This is complete Nonsense! Churchill Downs too quick of judgment. Good luck Bob, I hope for a Positive outcome to all of this. I'm looking forward to seeing Medina Spirit in the Preakness this Saturday.

[@sinisterminister6478]

Whatever you say Bob.

[@slackhackman9115]

Trump actually called the horse in question a junky. Lol

[@mjerome1457]

The Report says "Bob was physically shaken by the announcement" what a stupid statement Bob is done this five times… Clearly the mail was cheating

[@roninslv]

5 times in the last year. 30 times overall.

[@icewadda]

@@roninslv 30 times the bastard was caught. I'm sure there's plenty of other cases off record.

[@roninslv]

@@icewadda No doubt. I just saw some interesting stuff about bobby on google written by Jane Allin. titled Will bob go bob bob bobbin along. She is brutal. bobby boy is a real piece of work.

[@miamiwax5504]

Would this invalidate the betting?

[@50yearsofnyjetagony70]

If the Kentucky Derby can be fixed, then any race can be fixed. I suspect all have been. All races at all tracks.

[@jonathanf2392]

cheaters should be ashamed of themselves

[@donaldcassidy1592]

A lot of $ involved in wagering on the Kentucky Derby...

[@harshilpatel9643]

I mean everyone knows horse racing is run by crooks.

[@weirdunclebob]

It's time we stopped this cruel industry altogether. The amount of horses that die every year because of this so-called "sport" is enormous. It's disgusting. Go ride a bike, ya bastards.

[@sarashepard7504]

Could’ve been a frame. Medina spirit was a big upset to too many upper echelons.

[@accutronitisthe2nd95]

Oh sure, it didn't happen 5 TIMES?!? Sure liar...

[@yimmilopez-hidalgo251]

Is about time they stop this cheating business in sport. That horse was a shadow of himself in the Preakness why?? Because a horse or person can not perform at the same level without the substance on the very next race they compete, so you can just tell that that’s what’s happened, never mind the evidence.

[@MrLTLB]

Why is this "News"???

[@voltrondefofunv5708]

It was flax seed oil

[@bhzaddybhzolby1705]

Dude the trainer looks like he fixes horse races.

[@creekwalker62]

everything and everyone is corrupted....allegedly. 🙈🙉🙊

[@JeffRebornNow]

Why woud they interview someone who doesn't know betting rules? NO you do not get your money back EVER if, after a race is declared official, the horse is subsequently disqualified. How would that even work? LOL Excuse me, horse bettors, please refund to your betting app your money or drive to your track or your OTB and give back your money, because the people who had the winner want their share.

[@Meatball613]

what about all the bets? how they gonna fix that if the horse was disqualified? do those that have won with Medina need to return their winnings?

[@roninslv]

They can't change that. The betters get the shaft.

[@littlesister7021]

No! Bets were final.

[@daddydo17]

Trump must own that horse.

[@Jesusisnotwhite777]

Lol more than 30 violations!!! Wtf

[@braveconcepts]

"Cappadonna pimp the Derby like a mobster."

[@srr1463]

Watch il Palio for the best horse race in the world. It's a race of the people for the people. This is just a bunch of millionaires competing. lame

[@JorgeLopez-zv1or]

He is guilty cmon everyone knows he cheats....2018SA derby Justify should have an asterisk on his triple crown......

[@bobprediger3728]

wow cnn doing a story without trumps name on it . holy smokes . wowser

[@timkahn2813]

you mean a horse swinging from the roof truss in its stall is a thing???

[@maryannhope8276]

Nothing surprises me .

[@HoTrEtArDeDcHiXx]

James, there's a book with your name on it. I would read again if I were you. That is, if you can read the king's english, sir

[@dannmarceau]

English... not "english."

[@HoTrEtArDeDcHiXx]

@@dannmarceau If my right eye offend you, then pluck it out, or shut up

[@johnmichaeltracy9050]

tune in tommorow for another bob excuse, he has a bag full of them. he will not be at the preakness, well maybe in the stalls. so join us for as the stall turns and we will get yet another excuse.

[@songhengkeat]

Meanwhile Baffoon has been caught doing the same thing before.

[@dannmarceau]

Dark glasses, shaking of the head, looking at the ground... all signal "LIAR."

[@Ryan-my5lz]

Nobody cares

[@ronaldcoates7228]

Bob has been a cheater for decades in my opinion, just to many instances with this guy over and over again . He should've been banned years ago but he knows a lot of people who for years helped him cover it up , and some who still are ! 💯🤔😤😡

[@neuterspadeyourpets.6201]

Man thinks every other man CHEATS so I’m gonna CHEAT. 26 failed drug tests on horses this guy has run in his 40 year career.

[@efilwv1635]

This is Animal cruelty

[@rickerhart907]

I'm sure Trump had something to do with it

[@youcantmakeclaimsofexisten3898]

Has anyone questioned the horse?🤷🏿‍♂️

[@roninslv]

" I did not have sexual relations with all the fillies at Churchill Downs ". Medina Spirit.

[@NickHurrBoi]

The horse racing commission will come out and say everything was legal. They don’t want to have to make the decision to refund money if Bob is guilty. The man has had 5 horses test positive for drugs in a year and yet here he is again claiming innocence. It’s all a joke and we the public constantly have to deal with these crooks.😩

[@NickHurrBoi]

@Simon ny Uhh-huh.

[@JorgeLopez-zv1or]

Baffert is guilty....he just has good attorneys....Justify tested positive Santa anita Derby and they stayed quiet for him ...Cal racing needs him lol....

[@przytulanka1979]

Animal cruelty!

[@JazzyJADAxxx]

Disgusting industry... repulsive

[@rushoneprecyone9958]

he's doing a trump

[@richardfrerks8712]

Reversing Hermon by Dr. Mike Heiser. "God plays the long game"

[@jponzy8157]

First

[@jamtommy6446]

*Junky Horse*

[@brianjames7712]

Cancel culture

[@channelsna100]

Man, how many times Bob Baffert getaways with drugging his horses before the racing committee do something.