Agreement: CHRB to Order Justify DQ, Pay Ruis $300,000

The California Horse Racing Board has agreed to pay Mick Ruis $300,000 and direct stewards to disqualify Justify   and order a purse redistribution to settle a long-simmering dispute over the outcome of the 2018 Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Ruis sued the CHRB in 2020, seeking to have first-place finisher—and subsequent Triple Crown winner—Justify disqualified and Bolt d'Oro   declared the winner after a report in the New York Times surfaced revealing Justify tested positive for scopolamine, a prohibited substance, in a post-race sample. Ruis owned and trained Bolt d'Oro. The agreed settlement was made public in filings made in that case.

The suit was precipitated because the CHRB decided not to take action in a closed meeting. The board determined the source of the positive finding was probably environmental contamination, jimson weed in hay delivered to a number of barns on the backstretch of the track. Other horses also tested positive for the substance in the same time frame according to numerous reports.

Ultimately Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff took matters into his own hands in the suit filed by Ruis. Beckloff ordered stewards to disqualify Justify immediately after oral arguments held Dec. 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The settlement occurred after attorneys for Ruis, Carlo Fisco and Darrell Vienna, indicated an intention to file a motion for attorney's fees in connection with Beckloff's order. The settlement was made without an admission of wrongdoing or liability, and the parties stipulated it resolves all aspects of the case, including, but not limited to, Ruis' claims for attorney’s fees.

The $300,000 payment is to be made independent of the stewards' order redistributing purse money. The value of the race was  $1,000,345 with $600,000 going to the winner and $200,000 to the runner-up. Purse monies earned or awarded will be ordered returned to the paymaster of purses at Santa Anita Park within 30 days of the stewards' order.

The agreement on its face is not binding on the then-owners of Justify, a partnership of China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, and WinStar Farm, according to Equibase. Presumably they retain the right to appeal the stewards' ruling.

"Judge Beckloff covered everything, and it's on firm legal ground," said Fisco, an attorney for Ruis. "As far as the prospects for an appeal of the ruling, I don't think Bob Baffert would start a horse at such long odds."

Justify and Bolt d'Oro have gone on to became successful stallions, ranking 19th and 41st, respectively, on the general sires list by 2023 progeny earnings.

The settlement agreement was signed March 4 and attached to a March 5 order approving it signed by Beckloff that recites the agreement was finalized "fully resolving this entire lawsuit." The documents were online March 7.

This story may be updated. BloodHorse has also reached out for comment to connections of Justify.