Not certain how one says what follows without making reference to one's experience with it all, but that is the predicament.
Since 2015 Baffert has been on fire. Having seen horses like Pharaoh and Justify outrun their paths and big figures it was clear something remarkable was going on with Bob Baffert, even while cognizant that to a lesser extent, it always had been. Viewed in the best case scenario, one could surmise it had come all together for Baffert and that his skill in the craft had reached its zenith. Or one could look at it from the other side of the coin and speculate he had found an illegal tonic. Whether the latter could be proven or not was hardly even relevant. What mattered was losing to Baffert Triple Crown Winners that outran expectations. 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021...The Lesson?...Don't let Baffert beat you.
So...is he cheating? We all have our own opinions upon that. If he is, one has to hope they catch him. Until then, all one can do is not let him beat you.
