Back Yourself!
Sign-up and start betting with Ladbrokes in 2 minutes!
Back A Winner with Neds!
Sign-up and start betting with Neds in 2 minutes!
Daily Racing Specials!
Sign-up and bet with Australia's best new bookmaker!
#1 Ranked New Bookie
Sign-up and bet with Australia's #1 ranked new bookmaker!
Best Of The Best Odds!
Bet With Palmerbet and get Paid Top Fluc or Top Tote!
Massive Odds on All Races!
Sign-up and start betting with PlayUp in 2 minutes!
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Search
 
Image: AAP
Bob Baffert has denied giving Triple Crown winner Justify a banned substance

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has denied giving Triple Crown winner Justify a banned substance which caused a positive test before last year’s Kentucky Derby and blamed the result on contaminated food.

Baffert said in a statement he “unequivocally” rejects the implication he would give Justify or any other horse Scopolamine, which the colt tested positive for in April 2018.

The New York Times reported Justify tested positive for the substance after winning the Santa Anita Derby and that the California Horse Racing Board did not adequately investigate the matter.

Justify was allowed to run in the Kentucky Derby a month later and went on to become horse racing’s 13th Triple Crown winner.

“Damn shame this great horse, connections and me have to be put through all this,” Baffert told the Associated Press by text.

“It was obvious environmental contamination. It’s been a known problem in California.”

Attorney W Craig Robertson also wrote a letter addressed to the Times defending Baffert and saying Californian authorities did the correct thing by not pursuing a lengthy investigation.

Baffert and Robertson each pointed out Justify was found to have a trace amount of Scopolamine in his system and said that can come from jimson weed which grows wild in California.

Baffert said Justify passed drug tests in Kentucky, Maryland and New York on the way to the Triple Crown and called on those states’ testing agencies to “immediately release information related to Justify’s test results” there.

Justify was retired after winning the Triple Crown with Coolmore paying $60 million for breeding rights.

Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm, which co-owns Justify, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment but did release Baffert’s statement.

Baffert has trained the only two Triple Crown winners in the past three decades: Justify in 2018 and American Pharoah in 2015.

“Justify is one of the finest horses I’ve had the privilege of training and by any standard is one of the greatest of all time,” Baffert said. “I am proud to stand by his record and my own.”

While defending his own actions, Baffert said he had no input into or influence on decisions made by the CHRB, which came under fire for treating this situation differently from past precedent.

On notification of the positive test result, Robertson told the board to deal with him and not Baffert from that point forward.

“Given all the foregoing facts, I was confident that Mr. Baffert would ultimately prevail if the CHRB pursued the matter,” Robertson wrote.

“This left the CHRB with two choices – either pursue a frivolous case that had no merit at great taxpayer expense, or exercise reason and common sense and decide to take no further action.”

Animal Wellness Action executive director Marty Irby has called for drug testing to be “conducted and overseen by impartial operators and not by industry players with a vested interest in looking the other way.”

The Times reported the chairman of the California board owns an interest in horses trained by Baffert.

 
*Existing customers only. 2nd Racing bet. Excl SA & WA. T’s & C’s apply. Gamble responsibly.
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Featured News

FREE BETS – Claim $1000’s in Bonus Bets at the TOP Betting Sites

We take a look at the BIGGEST and BEST Free Daily Racing Offers and Betting Promotions from Australia’s leading online...

Golden Slipper Likely Field – 2024

The biggest two-year-old race of the year will jump this Saturday in arguably one of the best fields in recent...

Former trainer handed a five-year ban for pulling stewards pants down

Former trainer Todd Balfour has been handed a five-year disqualification by Racing SA stewards after a misconduct incident at the...

Melbourne Cup champion Verry Elleegant passes away

Verry Elleegant, one of the great mares in the history of Australian racing, has died while giving birth to her...

Watch 📺 Jockey banned from all racing premises over ride

Jockey Dylan Kitts has been penalised with a disciplinary officer exclusion directive due to non-compliance with an inquiry regarding his...

Group 1 winner returns positive swab

Racing Victoria stewards are investigating a positive swab from Group 1-winning mare Prowess, the racehorse trained by Roger James and...

Alligator Blood injured, career in doubt

Cult galloper Alligator Blood may have run his last race, with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott confirming the star galloper had...

Nikita Beriman returns to the saddle

July 1, 2023 to January 26, 2024 … that period represents the just shy of seven months that Nikita Beriman...

Australia's Best Betting Sites

New Betting Sites Australia + Top List Bookmaker Apps $$$

Betting in Australia has never been more popular thanks to a large increase in new betting Agencies and Apps available...

Top 10 – Funniest Race Horse Names

Horse racing. Known as the ‘Sport Of Kings’, an industry worth billions, a very serious business…but to some, it’s a...

Best Horse Betting Sites in Australia

Best Horse Racing Betting Apps and Betting Sites – March 2024

We take a look at the best online betting apps to bet on horse racing in Australia for the month...

Golden Slipper

The Golden Slipper is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse races in Australia. Taking place each April at...

Australian Bookmaker Reviews – Online Bookie Ratings $$

Which bookmaker should you bet with? We Review each of the leading online Australian Bookmakers and rate them in order...

 
 
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au