Even race horses are subject to being cancelled, according to the controversial trainer who was suspended by the iconic Churchill Downs racetrack after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed post-race drug test.
Bob Baffert, the trainer behind Medina Spirit, whose Kentucky Derby title is now in serious jeopardy amid the revelations, addressed the episode in a series of media appearances in recent days.
In one TV spot, Baffert bemoans the strongly worded statement released by Churchill Downs, the venue for the famed Kentucky Derby, announcing Baffert's immediate suspension pending further investigation of the positive test.
"Churchill Downs came out with that statement," Baffert told Fox News hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. "That was pretty harsh. I think they had -- you know, with all the noise, we live in a different world now. This America is different. It was a cancel culture kind of thing, so they're reviewing it."
Churchill Downs said it would not stand cheating, allegations of which have dogged Baffert throughout his checkered career.
“Churchill Downs will not tolerate it,” the statement read. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack.
"To be clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated, and Mandaloun will be declared the winner,” the statement said.
Asked whether Medina Spirit would be allowed to run in the upcoming Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore, Baffert wasn't sure.
"I haven't heard anything officially," he said. "They haven't told me anything."
Elsewhere in the interview, Baffert claimed his past infractions had been "resolved," and suggested both sabotage or accidental "contamination" could be to blame for the latest positive, according to Mediaite.
“These horses don’t live in a bubble,” Baffert said. “People are touching them. You went from the derby, after the derby everybody is up there touching them. There are so many ways they horses could get contaminated.
“They were all resolved. They were all contamination. We have to fight this. For some reason that’s a problem right there. And people in the public don’t understand. People in my world they understand this is all BS … Bob Baffert is not stupid.”
In a separate media appearance on Monday, Baffert refuted the test findings on The Dan Patrick Show.
"I would never risk my reputation," he said. "I train these great horses, and I work for great clients. ... People in the horse industry understand it's BS."