Baffert Fined, Gamine DQ'd From Kentucky Oaks Third

Gamine has been disqualified from a third-place finish in the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert fined $1,500 after a post-race test showed the presence of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication.

In a ruling issued Jan. 30 and posted this week on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website, Kentucky stewards ordered the purse money she earned in the race forfeited. Third-place prize money in the Oaks is $120,000. 

As a result of her disqualification, Speech has been elevated from fourth to become the official third-place finisher in the Kentucky Oaks, one of the country's most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies. Last year Shedaresthedevil won the Kentucky Oaks over Swiss Skydiver. Pari-mutuel payoffs are not altered by Gamine's post-race disqualification.

The presence of betamethasone in Gamine's test first came to light in October when the New York Times reported her positive test, citing two anonymous sources. Baffert attorney Craig Robertson also acknowledged the result.

Betamethasone is a permitted medication in Kentucky but at least a 14-day withdrawal time is mandated. Any level of detection on race day is a violation. Kentucky considers it a Class C drug, which is in line with the Association of Racing Commissioners International's Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances.

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine was one of last year's top-performing 3-year-old fillies. She notched her first stakes victory in the Longines Acorn Stakes (G1) in June, added the Longines Test Stakes (G1) over the summer, and defeated older fillies and mares in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Voted the champion female sprinter of last year, she currently is in training in California with Baffert.

The Oaks was Gamine's second disqualification of 2020 after she was disqualified from a May 2 allowance optional claiming win at Oaklawn Park due to the presence of lidocaine, a local anesthetic. Her stablemate, Charlatan, was also disqualified from winning a division of that same day's $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) for the same medication, results that Baffert believes were from accidental contamination due to one of his employees wearing a pain patch that contained lidocaine. Baffert was issued a 15-day suspension.

He has appealed the Arkansas decisions, but will not appeal the Kentucky ruling, Robertson said.

"We are going to accept that fine, pay the fine, and then move forward," he said.

Robertson referenced Baffert's statement from last fall in which the trainer promised changes to his operation following a series of medication positives he had in 2020. Another case involved Baffert being fined $2,500 for a dextromethorphan test result from Merneith after she was second in a race at Del Mar last summer.

Baffert's fall statement announced he had hired Dr. Michael Hore of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute "to add an additional layer of protection to ensure the well-being of horses in my care and rule compliance."

Robertson anticipates a hearing date to soon be established with the Arkansas Racing Commission regarding Baffert's appeal of the two lidocaine positives and disqualifications at Oaklawn. Discovery between the parties is nearing completion, he indicated.

"That is one that we will fully exhaust all options for appeal," he said.