What’s been happening: Bob Baffert’s Kentucky ban lifted, Auguste Rodin, death of Istabraq and more …

The rescinding of Bob Baffert’s Churchill Downs suspension, a clash of Breeders’ Cup winners at Ascot, the death of hurdling legend and a furore over a jockey who whipped a rival horse in the face feature in our weekly digest

Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby ban lifted

USA: Bob Baffert will be allowed to run horses in next year’s Kentucky Derby after Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) rescinded its three-year ban imposed in the wake of the Medina Spirit controversy.

In a hotly-contested decision, six-time Derby winner Baffert has been banned for entering runners at any tracks operated by Churchill Downs’ owners Medina Spirit tested positive and was disqualified following the 2021 running of America’s greatest race.

On Friday {July 19], CDI chief executive Bill Carstanjen issued a statement saying the company was “satisfied that Mr. Baffert has taken full responsibility for his actions, completed a substantial penalty, and is committed to running in full compliance with the rules and regulations going forward”.

Baffert also issued a statement on social media. “I am responsible for any substance found in the horses that I train, and I have paid a very steep price with a three-year suspension and the disqualification of Medina Spirit's performance,” he said. More here

King George: Auguste Rodin bids for seventh G1

GB: Six-time G1 winner Auguste Rodin spearheads a three-strong challenge from world #1 trainer Aidan O’Brien in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes at Ascot on Saturday [July 27].

World #2 racehorse on TRC Global Rankings, the son of Deep Impact – whose ultimate target this term is the Japan Cup – is joined by stablemates Luxembourg and Hans Andersen in the £1.25m ($1.61m) midsummer showpiece.

Auguste Rodin flopped in last year’s King George after landing both the Epsom and Irish Derbys. “It was soft ground and we probably held him up too much,” said O’Brien. “When Ryan felt he was not going to win, he eased him out of it, and the run probably was not as bad as it looked.”

With six individual G1 winners in a nine-runner line-up, chief rivals are headed by globetrotting stars Rebel’s Romance (like Auguste Rodin, a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner ) and Dubai Honour plus leading older filly Bluestocking. More here

British racing’s summer jamboree continues next week with the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival [July 30-Aug 3]. The latest round of the rivalry between 2,000 Guineas principals Notable Speech and Rosallion provides the highlight in the £1m Qatar Sussex Stakes on Wednesday [July 31]. More here

Stewards under fire over jockey ban for whipping rival in the face

USA: Stewards in West Virginia sparked a furore when they meted out a seemingly lenient ten-day sentence to a jockey found guilty of striking a rival horse in the face with his whip.

Riding Yo Yo Mon in a race at Mountaineer earlier this month, Yuri Yaranga whipped rival Lucky Stepper across the face moments before the wire. The jockey also raised his whip above his head, which is also prohibited.

Although Yo Yo Mon was disqualified, the ban received by Yaranga has been met with an outcry, with respected pundit Ray Paulick leading the charge. “Whipping a horse in the face is inexcusable.” he wrote in the Paulick Report. “It is potentially dangerous, revolting, and deserving of far more punishment than Yaranga received from West Virginia stewards.” More here

Legendary Champion Hurdler Istabraq dies at 32

Ireland: Jump racing legend Istabraq, without question one of the greatest hurdlers in the history of the sport, has died aged 32.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien before he turned his attentions exclusively to the Flat, Istabraq won 23 of his 29 races over hurdles – 14 of them at G1 level, all ridden by jockey Charlie Swan and including four victories at the annual Cheltenham Festival, where he completed a Champion Hurdle hat-trick in 1998-2000.

Since being retired in 2002, he has spent his latter years at owner JP McManus’s Martinstown Stud in County Limerick. "Sadly, Istabraq passed away at 1.15am this morning at the ripe old age of 32,” said McManus in a statement. “He was a very special horse who gave us many great days of fun and enjoyment.” More here

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne retires from the saddle

Australia: Michelle Payne, the only female jockey ever to win the Melbourne Cup, has announced her retirement from the saddle. The history-making rider rode 772 winners over a 23-year career in the saddle, winning Australia’s most celebrated race in 2015 on 100-1 shot Prince Of Penzance.

Payne, 38, now holds a training licence. “It was a tough decision to come to and obviously took a lot of time to decide on,” she told Racing.com. “But I’ve achieved my biggest dream of the Melbourne Cup and had my time in the sun.” More here

Dubai World Cup date set for April 2025

UAE: The Dubai World Cup will be contested in early April in 2025 as the finale of an expanded carnival at Meydan extended to 16 meetings.

The 29th edition of the $12 million event will take place on Saturday April 5, a week later than usual, as the culmination of Eid Al Fatr celebrations across the UAE. The 2024-25 Carnival season gets underway at Meydan on Friday Nov 8, with the first feature raceday scheduled for Dec 20 when the G2 Maktoum Mile is the G2 highlight of a‘Festive Friday’ card. More here

Elsewhere in racing …

USA: Preakness star Seize The Grey faces Sierra Leone and Fierceness More here

USA: Trainer Wayne Catalano reaches 3,000-win milestone More here

USA: HIWU says Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Mike Puype possessed banned substances More here

GB: Football legend Sir Alex Ferguson breaks world-record price for jumps horse at £660,000 ($850,000) More here

France: Aga Khan’s French Classic winner Rouhiya retired to paddocks after setback More here

Australia: Everest-bound Godolphin sprint star In Secret retired with leg injury More here

New Zealand: Champion jockey Michael McNab on injured list More here

GB: Bookings open for National Racehorse Week [Sept 7-15] More here

• View all previous editions of Seven Days In Racing

View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires