LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal judge has ruled against trainer Bob Baffert in his final remaining claim in a lawsuit against Churchill Downs.
The hall of fame trainer sued Churchill Downs after the racetrack suspended him for two years following 2021 Derby winner Medina Spirit's disqualification for a drug violation.
Baffert's final claim argues his suspension from the track and its properties, including the last two Kentucky Derby races, devalued his training license.
However, in her ruling Wednesday, Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings disagreed.
"The Court cannot find that Baffert's Kentucky trainer's license was rendered valueless when he used it to win over $1 million racing horses in the Commonwealth," she said.
Jennings is the same judge that ruled against Baffert's other claims back in February.
In a statement on Thursday, Churchill Downs said it's pleased about the ruling, adding the suspension was done in the best interest of protecting the integrity of horseracing.
"Now more than ever, participants and operators in this industry must individually and collectively assume responsibility to take every reasonable measure to protect our equine and human athletes and reject any practice that jeopardizes that mission," the statement said.
A decision about whether or not to extend Baffert's suspension will come next month.
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