Richie, I can't pronounce the name of the Drug Medina Spirit had in his blood, however, I do know its a steroid. I know also there is a Zero Tolerance policy in regard to any amount discovered in a Horse's blood post race. It is a matter of Strict Liability. They did not prevent the violation and thus it is on Baffert.
Can steroids improve performance? Well they sure do in humans. If they don't have that effect upon Equines, I'm not in that loop. As stated, this Steroid is zero tolerance on Race Day.
I've read Baffert is not dumb. Never really listened to him about anything but his horses. The strained arguments he made hiding from the positive certainly indicate he is not a Rocket Scientist. He really impeached himself, likely because he was desperate being apprehended upon the biggest weekend for the second year running. However, dragging out old defenses did not illustrate a clever man. He is old now and clearly he is slipping in more than one area.
Folks see things differently, but the amount of the Steroid discovered with Gamine last year and now Medina Spirit indicates they injected those horses very close to the "Half Life" expiration moment. The Vets are saying the half life indicates
very close to 3 days prior to the races. The suggestion by the State is 14 days beforehand. They really want these horses racing very close to the Drug just having lapsed in detectibility.
For those that believe the barn is too savvy to risk the drug being detected, there is a reason why they may risk it and lose out to not enough leadtime or better State Techinique and Lab testing...and clearly that reason is straighforward.
The reward is worth the risk and that the reward has been ongoing.
I'm Not an Addict
>
>richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>Strike thanks for the kind words. If this split sample confirms original results,
> and Racing does not take its
> opportunity to sanction a high profile repeat
> offender, lets do away with the
> whole notion of the "Sport of Kings" and bring in
> Vince McMahon to be national
> racing czar.
>
> Beta Bob's current problem is that he is messing
> with the BIG money--Grade I
> races, stallions worth millions. Stallion value is
> of course determined by
> pedigree and statistics so it is unlikely the
> value of an Arrogate, AmPhar,
> Justify or Authentic will be affected by the fact
> that they were trained by
> Baffert.
>
> Baffert really made a problem for himself by
> messing with the only race run at
> any of the CD tracks that CD really cares about;
> CD's action was swift and certain.
>
> I think BB's business will suffer whether he is
> sanctioned or not; sadly ALL of
> Racing is suffering now due to BB's actions and
> behavior.
