Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby return: A timeline of the saga that kept the famed trainer from Churchill Downs

The 151st moving of the Kentucky Derby volition instrumentality spot astatine the celebrated Churchill Downs racetrack successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected Saturday, May 3, and returning for the archetypal clip successful 4 years volition beryllium Hall of Fame equine trainer, Bob Baffert. 

Baffert, 1 of the astir palmy trainers successful the past of the sport, returns this twelvemonth aft having missed the archetypal limb of the Triple Crown for 3 consecutive years – a suspension that began with his record-breaking seventh triumph astatine the contention successful 2021 that was aboriginal stripped due to the fact that of a failed cause test.

Baffert, 1 of lone 2 trainers to ever triumph the coveted Triple Crown connected 2 occasions, became considered by immoderate an outcast successful the equine racing assemblage pursuing the fallout of Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby triumph successful 2021.

Trainer Bob Baffert motions to a visitant extracurricular his barn astatine Churchill Downs connected Tuesday, April 29, 2025 successful Louisville, Kentucky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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May 2021 – Medina Spirit wins the Kentucky Derby

Baffert secured his seventh Kentucky Derby triumph connected May 1, 2021, erstwhile Medina Spirit, the 3-year-old colt owned by Zedan Racing Stables, won the archetypal limb of the Triple Crown by a half-length. The triumph astatine Churchill Downs broke the grounds antecedently shared betwixt Baffert and chap Hall of Fame trainer Ben Jones.

Medin Spirit tests positive; Baffert suspended

Days aft being declared the winner, it was announced connected May 9, 2021, that Medina Spirit had failed a postrace cause trial aft investigating affirmative for an excessive magnitude of the steroid betamethasone. Churchill Downs instantly suspended Baffert, who denied immoderate wrongdoing.

"It is our knowing that Kentucky Derby victor Medina Spirit’s post-race humor illustration indicated a usurpation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s equine medicine protocols," the racetrack said successful a connection astatine the time. "To beryllium clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results successful the Kentucky Derby volition beryllium invalidated and Mandaloun volition beryllium declared the winner."

Baffert was besides aboriginal barred by the New York Racing Association, pending the probe successful Kentucky.

June 2021 – Baffert suspended agelong term 

Medina Spirit, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, #8, crosses the decorativeness enactment to triumph the 147th Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 1, 2021. (Sam Mallon/Getty Images)

Churchill Downs announced connected June 2, 2021 that Baffert would beryllium suspended from entering a equine astatine the famed equine way for the adjacent 2 years aft a 2nd postrace illustration failed a cause test.

February 2022 – Medina Spirit stripped of Derby title

On Feb. 21, 2022, Churchill Downs officially recognized Mandaloun arsenic the victor of the 147th moving of the Kentucky Derby aft the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced that Medina Spirit was successful usurpation of racing rules. Baffert was suspended and fined by the commission.

BOB BAFFERT-TRAINED HORSE NOT ALLOWED TO RUN IN KENTUCKY DERBY, JUDGE RULES

March 2022 – Baffert sues Churchill Downs

Baffert filed a suit successful the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky against Churchill Downs, CEO William C. Carstanjen and committee Chair R. Alex Rankin connected March 1, 2022 successful an effort to overturn the suspension, arguing that the famed equine trainer was not fixed the close to owed process. 

"The facts are clear, and Churchill Downs knows them but refuses to admit them," an lawyer for Baffert said astatine the time. "Churchill Downs knows the post-race trial study occurred arsenic a effect of the usage of a harmless ointment known arsenic Otomax. They cognize it was prescribed by Medina Spirit's treating veterinarian and decently and timely reported to the information slope the time it was dispensed. They cognize nary regularisation was violated, and the ointment could ne'er person enhanced Medina Spirit's performance. To support different is absurd."

May 2023 – Case against Churchill Downs dismissed

Trainer Bob Baffert holds the trophy aft Medina Spirit won the 147th Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected May 1, 2021. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

A national justice dismissed the lawsuit against the Kentucky racetrack connected May 25, 2023, aft a erstwhile effort by Baffert’s ineligible squad to assistance the prohibition successful February was denied. The determination came conscionable days aft a Baffert-trained equine won the Preakness Stakes, a record-breaking eighth triumph successful the contention for Baffert. 

"Our actions to suspend Mr. Baffert pursuing Medina’s Spirit’s confirmed affirmative for a prohibited race-day substance, coupled with his extended past of cause violations, was done successful the champion involvement of protecting the integrity of horseracing (sic)," Churchill Downs said successful a connection pursuing the ruling. 

"Now much than ever, participants and operators successful this manufacture indispensable individually and collectively presume work to instrumentality each tenable measurement to support our equine and quality athletes and cull immoderate signifier that jeopardizes that mission." 

Churchill Downs besides said it reserved the close to widen Baffert’s suspension, a determination that would travel astatine the extremity of his two-year ban.

July 2023 – Baffert’s suspension extended

Baffert’s suspension was extended done 2024, Churchill Downs announced connected July 3.

"Mr. Baffert continues to peddle a mendacious communicative concerning the failed cause trial of Medina Spirit astatine the 147th Kentucky Derby from which his equine was disqualified by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission successful accordance with Kentucky instrumentality and regulations," the racetrack said successful a statement.

"A trainer who is unwilling to judge work for aggregate cause trial failures successful our highest-profile races cannot beryllium trusted to debar aboriginal misconduct. Mr. Baffert volition stay suspended from entering horses astatine each racetracks owned by CDI done 2024. After specified time, we volition re-evaluate his status."

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January 2024 – Baffert moves on 

Trainer Bob Baffert looks connected aft winning the Sir Barton Stakes up of the 148th Preakness Stakes astatine Pimlico Race Course successful Baltimore connected May 20, 2023. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Baffert announced connected societal media earlier this twelvemonth that helium had instructed his attorneys to disregard an entreaty related to Medina Spirit’s disqualification successful 2021.

"Zedan Racing owner, Amr Zedan, and I person decided that it is champion to positively absorption connected the contiguous and aboriginal that our large athletics offers," helium wrote successful a connection posted to X. "We convey the KHRC and Churchill Downs for listening and considering our constituent of presumption and we are grateful for the changes and clarity that HISA brings to our sport."

April 2024 – Baffert-trained equine ineligible for 150th Kentucky Derby

This presumption shows the saddle cloth of trainer Bob Baffert's equine during greeting workouts for the Preakness Stakes astatine Pimlico Race Course successful Baltimore connected May 12, 2021. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

A Kentucky appeals tribunal justice denied an entreaty from Zedan that sought an exigency alleviation proceeding that would let Arkansas Derby victor Muth to tally successful the Kentucky Derby connected May 4.

July 2024 – Baffert takes ownership, Churchill Downs lifts suspension 

Baffert released a connection taking ownership of the affirmative trial successful 2021 and accepting Churchill Downs’ disciplinary actions that followed. 

"I americium liable for immoderate substance recovered successful the horses that I train, and I person paid a precise steep terms with a three-year suspension and the disqualification of Medina Spirit’s performance," his connection work successful part. "I recognize and admit that Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission took steps to enforce the rules that they believed were indispensable to support the information and integrity of equine racing and the estimation of the Kentucky Derby."

After taking ownership of his actions successful the ordeal, Churchill Downs announced that it had rescinded Baffert’s suspension. 

"We are satisfied that Mr. Baffert has taken work for his actions, completed a important punishment and is committed to moving successful afloat compliance with the rules and regulations going forward," the connection read.  "All parties hold that it is clip to bring this section to a adjacent and absorption connected the future. Mr. Baffert is invited to instrumentality to immoderate of CDI’s racetracks, including our flagship Churchill Downs Racetrack, and we privation him and his connections bully luck successful their aboriginal competitory endeavors."

May 2025 – Baffert returns

Wood Memorial victor Rodriguez and Citizen Bull, past year’s 2-year-old champion – some Baffert-trained horses – volition beryllium competing successful this year's Kentucky Derby with the fable himself present. 

"It’s 1 of those things wherever I’m conscionable bushed of talking astir it," helium said successful an interrogation with The Associated Press. "It’s been a pugnacious 3 years and I’ve enactment that down me."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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