FRANKFORT , KENTUCKY – As the news of Kentucky Appellate Court Judge Allison Jones’ ruling denying notorious trainer Bob Baffert an emergency stay is breaking, Animal Wellness Action Action executive director Marty Irby issued the following statement:
“We applaud Judge Allison Jones for upholding the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s suspension of notorious trainer Bob Baffert that will prevent him from running horses at the 148th Kentucky Derby next month. Baffert’s flagrant disregard for the rules of horse racing has resulted in this long overdue consequence, and we hope this decision will help lift the cloud of darkness that’s loomed over the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville for the past several years.
“American horse racing has been plagued by Baffert’s scandals time and time again, and while justice in the tragic life and death of Medina Spirit may never be fully served, we’re glad to see Baffert reap what he’s sown just like Lance Armstrong and other cheaters in the world of sports. The horses and the Triple Crown are better off without Bob Baffert.”
Today’s decision represents the fourth consecutive loss Baffert has suffered in the case of Medina Spirit this year with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s (KHRC) original ruling that stripped Baffert of the 2021 Kentucky Derby title, Baffert’s loss in the KHRC appeal, and loss in the lower Kentucky Court last month.