A number of posts have suggested that Baffert is a victim of those who are jealous of his success. That is a possible explanation, but the positive tests have been at different tracks with different horses. His name just seems to pop up more frequently than other trainers for medication issues, even compared to those with larger stables. The hearings have often been resolved on procedural grounds or let him off with a slap on the wrist with explanations that always blame someone or something else.
All of that may be correct, but it may also be true that Mr. Baffert sails closer to the wind in his use of medication and sometimes miscalculates how long it will take for a medication used in training to clear a horse's system. The rules are so complex and the ability to measure in minute amounts is so precise that any use of certain medications for training carries a high risk of detection.
The current rush to judgment one way or the other seems wrong. I would rather wait until all of the facts are in and tests completed before either condemming him or concluding he is as pure as driven snow.
|