#MedinaSpirit #horse #KentuckyDerby #Baffert
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert Monday sued New York horse racing officials for suspending him from running horses at state racetracks, following a positive drug test for the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit after it won the Kentucky Derby.
Mr. Baffert, a 7X Derby winner and 1 of the Sport of Kings best-known figures, said the New York Racing Association (NYRA) unconstitutionally usurped the authority of the state’s gaming commission by taking away his trainer’s license indefinitely.
He said a prolonged suspension from racing horses in New York or stabling them at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course could cause him to lose horses worth tens of millions of dollars to other trainers.
“This will effectively put me out of business in the State of New York,” Mr. Baffert said in an affidavit filed in federal court in Brooklyn.
The NYRA had no immediate comment.
Mr. Baffert wants an injunction to lift the suspension, which kept Medina Spirit out of the 5 June Belmont Stakes, plus unspecified damages.
His lawyer, Craig Robertson, declined to comment.
Have a healthy day, Keep the Faith!
