Bob Baffert

According to Craig Robertson, the lawyer representing Bob Baffert, a second-post race test has confirmed that Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for the prohibited corticosteroid betamethasone, which could lead to the horse being disqualified from this year's GI Kentucky Derby. In response, Churchill Downs Inc. banned Baffert for two years. "In response to the inquiries, this will acknowledge that the Medina Spirit split sample confirmed the finding of betamethasone at 25 picograms," Robertson said in a statement. "There is other testing that is being conducted, including DNA testing. We expect...

Narrowly favored at 9-5 in Monday's GI Hollywood Gold Cup, WinStar Farm's Country Grammer (Tonalist) became his Lane's End-based stallion's first Grade I winner, narrowly outbattling Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) in a rousing finish. Away alertly, the former Paul Pompa runner was taken hold of to sit second as longshot Brown Storm (Chi) (Scat Daddy) rolled to the front showed the way through moderate splits of :22.92 and :47.16. Switched off nicely in the two path for the run down the backstretch, Country Grammer was asked for a bit of...

It was an eventful few days for racing in the northeast, and the TDN Writers' Room presented by JPMorgan Private Bank broke down all of the latest developments in the Monmouth jockey standoff and the raids on Parx barns by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission Wednesday morning. Plus, they welcomed Four Corners Racing's managing partner Anthony Trimarchi as the Green Group Guest of the Week to discuss his experiences as a new owner in the game and the economics of racing from a banking perspective. "I was exposed to racing at...

A maiden facing winners in Sunday's $100,000 Cinema S. at Santa Anita, Hudson Ridge parlayed a stalking trip into a one-length defeat of favored Sword Zorro (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), becoming the 16th black-type winner for his Triple Crown-winning sire. Forced to take some evasive action at the start when Jimmy Irish (Jimmy Creed) ducked out at the start, forcing Hubris (Paynter) out and into Hudson Ridge, the bay colt settled in third position of the quintet into the first turn and inherited second position when Hubris was pulled up and...

Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) aired by 9 1/4 lengths in her latest start in the Apr. 24 GII Santa Margarita S., however, she had to work a lot harder when nosing out 23-1 longshot This Tea (Curlin) in Saturday's GII Santa Maria S. at Santa Anita. Breaking from the outside of a four-horse field, the 4-year-old allowed Miss Stormy D (Tapizar) to assume the helm through opening fractions of :23.83 and :47.12. Given the cue by Mike Smith at the...

A scratched-down field of four, led by co-headliners As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) and Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), will line up in Saturday's GII Santa Maria S. at Santa Anita. The well-bred As Time Goes By, a half-sister to champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) from the immediate family of Omaha Beach (War Front) and Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), followed a strong second behind Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Beholder Mile S. Mar. 13 with a blowout, front-running win in the GII Santa Margarita S. Apr. 24....

Fresh off the first Classic win of his career with his first Triple Crown starter, trainer Michael McCarthy joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by JPMorgan Private Bank Wednesday morning. Calling in via Zoom from his Santa Anita stable as the Green Group Guest of the Week, McCarthy discussed getting Rombauer (Twirling Candy) to run his peak race in Saturday's GI Preakness S., whether he has any regrets about not running in the GI Kentucky Derby, what he learned from former boss Todd Pletcher and more. "When the horses...

There was more bad news for Bob Baffert Monday, as the New York Racing Association announced that it has temporarily suspended the trainer, which means he will not be allowed to enter any horses at NYRA tracks or occupy stall space. "In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants," NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke said in a statement. "That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best...

When Bob Baffert told us last week that he thought the positive drug test for Medina Spirit (Protonico) following the GI Kentucky Derby was the result of his having been treated with an anti-fungal ointment, he seemed to be suggesting that the whole thing was an honest and forgivable mistake. No harm, so why the foul? "This has never been a case of attempting to game the system or get an unfair advantage," he said. On that, he's likely telling the truth. That Baffert would use a rather benign corticosteroid...

After a few hours of sleep, trainer Michael McCarthy was back at Pimlico Race Course Sunday morning, quietly talking about Rombauer (Twirling Candy)'s emphatic victory in the 146th GI Preakness S. Saturday and looking ahead to the June 5GI Belmont Stakes. Bred and raced by John and Diane Fradkin, Rombauer rallied to a convincing 3 1/2-length score Saturday and stopped the clock in 1:53.62, the eighth-fastest time since the race distance was changed to 1 3/16 miles in 1925. While McCarthy, 50, acquired plenty of experience in Triple Crown races...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has been embroiled in controversy this week after the news broke May 9 that his GI Kentucky Derby win with Medina Spirit (Protonico) may be in jeopardy after the horse reportedly tested positive for betamethasone, released a statement via attorney Craig Robertson prior to the GI Preakness S. Baffert did not attend the Preakness and Medina Spirit finished third in the second leg of the Triple Crown behind Rombauer (Twirling Candy). The statement appears below in its entirety: "As Medina Spirit prepares to...

After undergoing three rounds of out-of-competition blood sample testing as part of an agreement between the Maryland Jockey Club and Bob Baffert, Medina Spirit (Protonico), Concert Tour (Street Sense) and Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) have been reported clear and are eligible to race this weekend at Pimlico Race Course in the GI Preakness S. and GII Black-Eyed Susan S. Two samples were drawn May 6 and May 10, respectively by the Maryland Racing Commission and were screened by Industrial Laboratories in Colorado. A third sample was drawn on May 11...