Baffert's NYRA Disciplinary Hearing Set for Jan. 24

Hearing officer O. Peter Sherwood set a Jan. 24 date for the New York Racing Association's disciplinary hearing for trainer Bob Baffert during an Oct. 11 pre-hearing scheduling conference.

At the Jan. 24 hearing before Sherwood, NYRA will present its case in seeking to suspend the Hall of Fame trainer while Baffert's legal representatives will argue on his behalf.

The hearing fulfills the order of U.S. District Court Judge Carol Bagley Amon who tossed out NYRA's May 17 temporary suspension of Baffert in a July 14 ruling, citing a lack of due process in the proceedings. 

In response, NYRA established a new set of protocols and procedures for disciplinary hearings and scheduled disciplinary hearings for Baffert and trainer Marcus Vitali. Baffert went back to federal court seeking an injunction against NYRA's actions, claiming it was in contempt of Judge Bagley Amon's order, but she rejected that claim Oct. 5, paving the way for the hearing to proceed.

NYRA's attempt to suspend Baffert was sparked when his Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit  failed a post-race test that revealed traces of betamethasone, a corticosteroid banned on race days in Kentucky. NYRA also cited his four other drug violations in the previous year and "other related information."

The scheduling conference for Vitali is set for Oct. 13 before hearing officer Robert Smith.