Bob Baffert pictured with American Pharaoh © Photo Healy Racing
Bob Baffert intends to run Medina Spirit in the Preakness Stakes — and has cited “cancel culture” after the Kentucky Derby winner failed a drug test.
Baffert insisted he is innocent of any wrongdoing after Medina Spirit tested positive for 21 picograms of the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone.
“It did not happen, that’s the really seriously troubling part of it,” he told Fox News.
“These horses don’t live in a bubble. People are touching them. You went from the Derby — after the Derby everybody is up there touching them. There are so many ways they could get contaminated.”
Baffert announced the failed test on Sunday morning, describing the results as a “gut punch”, but officials at Churchill Downs barred him from making any further entries there.
The draw for Saturday’s Preakness was delayed by 24 hours until Tuesday, while Medina Spirit’s participation is in apparent doubt.
But Baffert said: “They (Medina Spirit and stablemate Concert Tour) are on their way now, they should arrive this afternoon. I’m going to run two horses.
“I haven’t heard anything officially — they haven’t told me anything. I know Churchill Downs came out with that statement, that was pretty harsh.
“With all the noise — we live in a different world now — this America is different. It was like a ‘cancel culture’ kind of thing, so they are reviewing it.”
Baffert is currently awaiting the results of the split (B) sample.
“I haven’t been told anything — we’re prepared to run,” he added.
“There’s a long process. There will a split sample, then there’ll be a hearing — it will take months. This isn’t done with a week — it’s a long period.
“We did not cheat to win the Kentucky Derby.”
