5 years after talking throughout a panel on the 2019 World Symposium on Racing in Tucson, Ariz., Corridor of Fame trainers and College of Arizona Race Monitor Business Program graduates Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert returned to the Symposium Dec. 10 to debate developments of their careers.
With Amy Zimmerman, senior vp and govt producer at Santa Anita Park, moderating a session referred to as “Champions. Challenges. Dedication. A Dialog with Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher,” the 2 elaborated on their latest achievements and setbacks. Though a lot of the dialog impressed smiles and laughter from the viewers, the 2 commented on deeper matters akin to equine drug testing, rising horse coaching prices, and Horseracing Integrity and Security Authority regulation.
Pletcher, who acquired the College of Arizona’s Alumnus of the 12 months Award throughout a luncheon on Tuesday, spoke about contamination prospects with equine drug testing that measures in minute quantities. His response got here following a query about Forte , who examined optimistic for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam following the 2022 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course—leading to sanctions levied in opposition to Pletcher and the case being challenged within the courtroom system. An upheld optimistic would lead to Forte’s disqualification from the race.
The disclosure of that Hopeful optimistic got here shortly after Forte was scratched from the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) because of an unrelated foot bruise.
In recent times, Pletcher has additionally confronted penalties for drug infractions involving different horses in New York and Pennsylvania.
“The one factor Bob and I are conscious of is the degrees these are coming again at—you are helpless as a coach, I feel,” he mentioned.
He mentioned he’s involved with the bills of coaching horses, citing rising minimal wages, work visa prices, and elevated bills from added regulation.
“So my concern is, how lengthy can we maintain passing on all these prices? Individuals are simply going to say, ‘You understand what—it is too costly to take part,’ ” he mentioned.
He and Baffert are among the many most profitable trainers within the sport, resulting in lots of their high male horses going off for financially rewarding careers at stud.
A sequence of equine drug infractions, most importantly from Medina Spirit within the 2021 Kentucky Derby, additionally resulted in penalties for Baffert. He served a 45-day suspension issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee, and Medina Spirit was in the end disqualified. The coach was additionally banned from competitors at Churchill Downs Inc. tracks for 3 years earlier than the ban was rescinded this summer time.
Baffert mentioned he nonetheless watched the Kentucky Derby (G1) on tv from afar within the years during which he couldn’t take part.
For subsequent 12 months, Baffert has a number of main Kentucky Derby prospects—amongst them Breeders’ Cup Juvenile 1-2 finishers Citizen Bull and Gaming , plus Barnes —who gained his debut at Churchill Downs this fall with the coach’s first starter because the CDI ban was lifted.
Pletcher is gentle within the 2-year-old male division, although he has a number of thrilling horses scheduled to race subsequent 12 months as 4-year-olds,amongst them Locked , Mindframe , and Fierceness .
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Zimmerman shifted the dialogue to their legacies towards the top of the Tuesday dialog, however Baffert appeared extra centered on the current.
“So proper now, what now we have in frequent,” he mentioned, talking of Pletcher, “is we’re searching for an excellent 2-year-old that is going to show 3.”
The Tuesday afternoon periods concluded with two panels: “Investing in Racing’s Future: Views From the Subsequent Era,” and one other named “Fifty Concepts in 50 Minutes.” Members of the HISA Subsequent Era Advisory Group explored matters to drive development and enhance security throughout the former panel, whereas panelists Alex Dadoyan, Dora Delgado, Liza Hendriks, Jay Hovdey, and Dick Powell fired off suggestions within the latter session.
A half dozen of the ideas for the business included incentivizing early betting, revamping tv displays round extra relatable graphics, transitioning from claiming races to these organized on a ratings-based system, displaying odds in decimal moderately than fractional type, placing the Eclipse Award displays on the highway, and embracing social media influencers.