The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
‘I feel I was wronged’, Baffert protests after Kentucky Derby positive
North America: Bob Baffert called Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s post-race blood sample for the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone “the biggest gut-punch I’ve had” before claiming that the horse is a victim of “cancel culture” or contamination.
The anti-inflammatory substance is permitted in Kentucky, but at least a 14-day withdrawal time is mandated.
The Hall of Famer called an extraordinary press conference outside his barn at Churchill Downs on Sunday, when he called the failed drugs test – the trainer’s 29th in his heralded career – an “injustice” and protested his innocence.
“I don’t know what's going on in racing now, but it’s not right,” protested Baffert. “I cannot believe that I’m here. I don’t feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged. We’re going to do a complete investigation. He’s a great horse and he doesn’t deserve this.”
Medina Spirit’s Derby victory will be scratched if second test comes back positive, but in the meantime the colt will be allowed to run in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.
On Tuesday, Baffert’s lawyer, Craig Robertson, issued a statement on the Californian handler’s behalf, in which he revealed an anti-fungal ointment prescribed for a case of dermatitis could potentially be to blame. Medina Spirit was treated for the skin complaint with the liniment once a day leading up to the May 1 race.
“My investigation is continuing,” read Baffert’s statement. “We do not know for sure if this ointment was the cause of the test results, or if the test results are even accurate as they have yet to be confirmed by the split sample.
“I have been told that a finding of a small amount, such as 21 picograms, could be consistent with application of this type of ointment.”
French champion Boudot bailed on rape charge
Europe: French champion jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot has been charged with rape by French prosecutors, who are investigating accusations made by a female work-rider at a party in February.
The world #9 had been released on bail of €50,000 and is barred from entering the department of Oise, which includes France’s major racing centre at Chantilly.
Fellow jockey Pierre Bazire faces a charge of failing to report a crime, along with an unnamed individual, and is claimed to have been a “witness to intimidation of a witness”.
Boudot, who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Waldgeist in 2019, too the French title in 2015, 2016 and 2020.
France Galop announced on Twitter on Wednesday evening that Boudot has been suspended for the next two days.
He is thought unlikely now to partner the Aidan O’Brien-trained Dewhurst winner St Mark’s Basilica in Sunday’s Poules d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.
Midnight Bisou in foal to Curlin
North America: Champion mare Midnight Bisou, runner-up in the inaugural Saudi Cup last year and the richest North American Distaffer of all time, with earnings of $7,471,520, is carrying a colt by dual Horse of the Year Curlin.
Never out of the money in any of her 22 career starts for co-owners Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing, she raced at ten tracks and was awarded an Eclipse Award in 2019 as champion older dirt female. She recorded G1 victories in the Santa Anita Oaks, the Cotillion Stakes, the Apple Blossom Handicap, the Ogden Phipps Stakes and the Personal Ensign Stakes.
Her sire, two-time Breeders' Cup Champion Midnight Lute, stands alongside Curlin at Hill ‘n’ Dale at the farm’s new stallion complex in Kentucky.
Levy Board’s £80m lifeline for British racing
Europe: An income of £80 million for the latest financial year has been set for British racing by the Levy Board, the public body that collects a statutory levy from the horseracing business of bookmakers, which it then distributes it across the sport and industry.
As a result of the pandemic, racecourses were unable to accept paying customers and high-street bookmakers were forced to close for the vast majority of 2020, and the Levy Board was forced to fund the bulk of prize money.
“Since June, we have attempted to balance on the one hand our desire to commit substantial extra support for the sport from our reserves with, on the other hand, the uncertainty around our own ongoing future income,” said chairman Paul Darling.
Landmark winner for Fahey
Europe: Trainer Richard Fahey claimed his 3,000th British winner when Hong Kong Harry scored at Ayr on Tuesday evening. The tally is made up of 2,859 scorers on the flat and 141 over jumps.
A delighted Fahey - who was born in Ireland but moved to Yorkshire when he was 18 – joked that to “have had 30 would have been enough” when he took out a licence in 1993 and he “would never have dreamed of reaching 3,000 winners”.
He gave credit to his team and named Ribchester’s track record in the 2017 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot as a career highlight, “it doesn’t get much better than that,”he said.
Elsewhere in racing …
North America: Brookdale Farm’s Joe Seitz has been elected president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA) and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB), which have named their elected officers and board of directors for 2021. More here
North America: Woodbine has made June 5 a target for its 2020 opening day. More here
Europe: World pool betting is to be expanded to 17 racedays in Britain this year. More here
North America: The renovation of the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga has been completed. More here
Europe: Property company Savills Ireland has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the G1 Savills Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival in a new 3-year deal. More here