December 13th, 2024

Churchill Downs extends trainer Bob Baffert’s ban through 2024

By Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press on July 3, 2023.

Trainer Bob Baffert walks off the track after his horse Arabian Lion won The Woody Stephens ahead of the Belmont Stakes horse race Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Churchill Downs is extending Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s suspension through 2024.

Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday it was continuing Baffert’s ban citing “continued concerns regarding the threat to the safety and integrity of racing he poses to CDI-owned racetracks.”

Baffert was initially suspended for two years after 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test.

In a statement, Churchill Downs said Baffert continues to peddle false narratives about Medina Spirit’s failed drug test. The company went on to say it will re-evaluate Baffert’s status after 2024.

A message sent to a lawyer representing Baffert was not immediately returned.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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