Baffert’s Attorney Calls for Changes in Horse Racing Drug Policies After Gamine Test
Posted on: October 24, 2020, 11:58h.
Last updated on: October 25, 2020, 11:27h.
An attorney for legendary thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert issued a statement Friday claiming a New York Times report regarding a failed drug test for Gamine after the Kentucky Oaks was “inaccurate and needs to be cleared up.”
Craig Robertson, a Lexington, Ky. lawyer, said the filly was treated with a legal anti-inflammatory drug more than two weeks before the Sept. 4 race at Churchill Downs. Gamine, the heavy favorite in the race, finished third.
On Thursday, Kentucky regulatory officials reported a failed drug test was recorded, but would not reveal those involved until a subsequent investigation took place. The Times reported, citing anonymous sources, that it was Baffert’s filly that failed the screen.
According to Robertson, the test revealed Gamine’s system has 27 picograms of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory steroid. The testing threshold is 10 picograms.
Robertson said the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission recommends the drug not be administered within two weeks of the race.
“In this instance, as an additional layer of protection, Gamine’s veterinarian last treated her with betamethasone 18 days before the Oaks,” the statement read.
Baffert Attorney: Racing Must Address Drug Testing
Baffert’s attorney goes on to say in the statement that Gamine’s test results cast light on two “very troubling” issues that need addressing.
First, the thresholds for many lawful medications such as betamethasone are way too low,” Robertson said. “A picogram is a trillionth of a gram. 27 picograms is a minuscule amount that would not affect a thousand-pound animal. The regulations governing racing must be ones that are related to pharmacology in a horse as opposed to how sensitive labs can test. Second, trainers and veterinarians must be able to rely on guidelines given them by racing officials. If they are told by regulators that a medication will clear a horses system in 14 days, they must be able to rely on that information.”
The KHRC’s withdrawal guidelines, updated in April, state the recommendations are made based on the latest scientific knowledge, noting that may change over time. Licensees accused of violating drug rules can show “evidence of full compliance” to the KHRC recommendations, and the commission or racing stewards may consider that when investigating violations or determining sanctions.
Robertson’s call for changes in equine drug policy could, theoretically, be addressed if Congress passes the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. That would create a national governing body over the sport – rather than rely on the 38 state regulatory bodies to come up with their own policies – and create a drug testing program overseen by the US Anti-Doping Agency.
Baffert himself has spoken out in support of the bill, which has already cleared the US House and awaits action in the Senate.
Gamine, Other Baffert Horses Previously Failed Drug Tests
Gamine’s failed Kentucky Oaks drug test is the latest for the Hall of Fame trainer who guided two horses to Triple Crowns in the last five years. Earlier this year, Gamine and Charlatan tested positive for lidocaine, causing them to be disqualified from victories in races at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. Baffert also received a 15-day suspension for the issue, which he claimed happened as the result of a stablehand who wore a pain-reliving patch on his back.
In addition, a court case could decide whether Justify, one of Baffert’s Triple Crown winners, will be disqualified from his 2018 Santa Anita Debry victory after it was discovered he tested positive for a banned substance. In that case, Baffert argued that a local weed that contained the drug contaminated horse feed, causing several horses to test positive.
Animal welfare organization PETA has called on Kentucky officials to ban Baffert from racing in the state if he’s found guilty. However, current guidelines indicate the trainer faces a far less severe penalty.
Baffert potentially faces a suspension of up to 30 days if the KHRC rules against him. Gamine would also be stripped of her third place finish in the Oaks, relieving her owners of $120,000 in purse money.
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Last Comments ( 7 )
Baffert had 7 horses (in a 16 month period) drop dead a few years ago and the CHRB didn't even fine him. His drug cocktails are the reason why his horses run such amazing races and always seem to have that little extra.
Drugging horses is immoral and Baffert has been doing it for years. It's time for the industry to actually protect the horses it exploits and profits from.
I think most Kentuckians know that "winning" trainers are doping. It's how they force horses to run past their breaking points and how they "win." It shouldn't be that way, it's absolutely cruelty, but that's what they do.
Horseracing is crooked to the core. Baffert should be held accountable.
This madness must end! Horses should not be drugged and forced to run.
Bethamethasone is a corticosteroid. That drug has NO business being on the racetrack. This drug can mask pain up to THREE WEEKS(any equine Vetrenarian textbook will say this). Corticosteroids work in a way that “reprogram” enzymes in the body to turn off nerves and rebuild damaged tissue with calcium(bone). So even if the drug is completely out of the horse’s system, those “reprogrammed” enzymes are still at work until they die(roughly 3-4 weeks depending on horse’s metabolism). Baffert claims this drug was given to Gamine 18 days before the Kentucky Oaks. The corticosteroid she was given still has an extreme effect at that point. So the idea that Baffert’s lawyer is saying “27 picograms is nothing” is an uneducated and misleading statement on what this drug can do and how long it’s effects last. It’s also fair to note that corticosteroids have more cons than pros longterm. Sure, it can get a lame horse on Monday to run the best race of its life pain free on Saturday. But longterm, this drug has detrimental effects such as laminitis, mask infections, mask lameness, causes birth defects, and INHIBITS healing. This isn’t a drug you give a horse to help heal an issue, it is a drug you give a horse to MASK an issue. Other inside information: Gamine has been lame ever since she was 2 after she was bought from the 2yo in training sale. That’s why she didn’t race till 3. And that lidocaine positive she had a while back was no accident, that was to once again, mask her lameness for the vet exams. That way ok race day, her “race day adrenaline” can mask the rest of the lameness she’s having. If you watch her in the mornings(not just breezes), she is clearly off in the hind. Baffert, his vet, and possible owners, are pushing Gamine through her soundness issues by abusing medications so she can win a lot of money in these big money races, as well as increase her price as a broodmare at the sales. Stop defending Baffert
The very idea that Baffert needs to cheat to win horse races is preposterous. Not only that but those substances in a racehorse do not contribute to a horses enhanced performance. I'd also consider that Baffert has a bullseye on his back. Many people hate winners.