Bob Baffert Officially Ruled OUT of Kentucky Derby 150

The most decorated trainer in horse racing is spending another year on the sidelines of the sport’s biggest event. Bob Baffert will not be able to run horses in Kentucky Derby 150.

The Hall of Fame trainer was suspended by Churchill Downs following a failed race-day drug test for Medina Spirit, who was disqualified from winning the Kentucky Derby in 2021. The two-year suspension was extended last summer by Churchill Downs. Baffert finally called off the dogs and dropped a lawsuit this spring, but it did not change the track’s mind.

In previous years, owners temporarily moved their best 3-year-olds from his stable to make them eligible for the Kentucky Derby. This year they stood in solidarity with Baffert. One of them tried a legal work-around to still race beneath the Twin Spires on the first Saturday in May.

Owner Amr Zedan earned notoriety after his horse, American Pharoah, won the Triple Crown in 2015. This year he fielded another Derby contender trained by Baffert, Muth. After Muth won the Arkansas Derby, Zedan filed for an injunction to enter Muth into the Kentucky Derby field.

Attorneys for Zedan argued that he invested more than $10 million in horses under the expectation that Baffert would be reinstated in time for the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Jefferson County Circuit Court judge Mitch Perry ruled “injunctive relief is not warranted” in this case, upholding Baffert’s suspension and keeping Muth out of the field.

Churchill Downs took an epic victory lap. I had to double-check to make sure that was a real statement.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision today and believe Mr. Zedan may suffer from a case of ‘Derby Fever,’ which is known to spread with exposure to horses and is contagious this time of year. Symptoms can contribute to questionable judgement and in extreme cases can result in litigious behavior. There is no known cure,” CDI said. “Nevertheless, we have communicated clearly about the rules of entry, which are the same for everyone and are non-negotiable. Contenders cannot sue their way into the Kentucky Derby. We wish Mr. Zedan well in the future and appreciate both his passion for the sport and his desire to see his horses compete on the First Saturday in May.”

Zadan’s attorneys are preparing to make an emergency appeal, although it will likely fall on deaf ears.

Muth would not have been a frontrunner when post positions are drawn in less than two weeks. Nevertheless, Bob Baffert horses always have a chance to win big at Churchill Downs. His absence for the third straight year will be a storyline during the NBC broadcast on May 4.

Early Kentucky Derby 150 Favorites

Fierceness is expected to be the Kentucky Derby morning line favorite. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Champion enters the race fresh off a dominant victory in the Florida Derby. Trained by Todd Pletcher, owner Mike Repole is seeking his first Kentucky Derby win after Forte was scratched as the favorite on the morning of last year’s race.

The Blue Grass Stakes has not produced a Kentucky Derby champion since Strike the Gold in 1991. Sierra Leone‘s powerful move down the stretch at Keeneland made many believe that the streak will soon come to an end.

Brad Cox technically has a Kentucky Derby win. Mandaloun did not finish first in 2021, but did receive the title following Medina Spirit’s disqualification. The Louisville native has a chance to celebrate on Derby Day with Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom.