The Jefferson County Circuit Court denied the petition from thoroughbred owner Amr Zedan which sought permission for his horse, Muth, to compete in the forthcoming Kentucky Derby. For those unfamiliar, Muth is trained by the contentious trainer Bob Baffert, who received a suspension in 2021.
The suspension was instated at the discovery of illegal substances in the system of one of Baffert’s pacers, Medina Spirit. Initially, the suspension was intended to lift before this year’s Derby, but with Baffert’s adamant denial of guilt, the punitive period was extended.
In past years, Baffert moved his horses to other trainer’s facilities to permit their participation in the Kentucky Derby. However, he has decided against this practice for this year, making it likely that he won’t be represented in the race.
The race might be less intriguing this year due to the absence of Baffert’s horses, considering his widespread popularity and excellent training skills. To understand his prominence, Baffert’s horses have clinched six Kentucky Derbies, eight Preakness Stakes, three Belmont Stakes, and three Kentucky Oaks. He has also trained 2015’s Triple Crown victor American Pharoah and 2018’s Triple Crown winner Justify.
Churchill Downs Criticizes Zedan’s Legal Efforts
In Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Mitchell Perry criticized Zedan for not filing his request a year ago when Baffert’s ban was extended. He also pointed out that allowing Muth and other Baffert-trained horses to participate may negatively affect the race, potentially causing exclusion of other qualifying horses.
The judge also emphasized the vital role of public trust for Churchill Downs. Consequently, Perry decided to deny Zedan’s request.
Addressing Zedan’s attempt for Muth to participate, Churchill Downs dismissed the case as end-product of “Derby Fever.”
We applaud the Court’s verdict today and suspect Mr. Zedan is possibly suffering from ‘Derby Fever,’ a condition known to manifest around horses which is in full swing during this season. Symptoms may lead to questionable choices and, under severe conditions, can trigger litigious behavior.
Churchill Downs statement
Meanwhile, one of Baffert’s lawyers, Clark Brewster, who is also a horse-racing owner and joint owner of Kentucky Derby hopeful Track Phantom, may actually stand to gain from the continued suspension.
