PETA concerned about Bob Buffert’s business connections

After it was revealed that this year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, tested positive for an excess amount of the corticosteroid betamethasone, coach Bob Buffert was barred from racing at the Churchill Downs. If the violation is confirmed, Medina Spirit may be disqualified from the race. Even though this is the second time in seven months one of his horses has tested positive for betamethasone, Buffert will no doubt come up with another implausible excuse. This is the man who once (successfully) proved that poppy seed bagels are responsible for morphine in the horse’s body.

PETA has now discovered that three members of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) have business ties with Buffert. We want to know – and we have asked KHRC to advise us – how it will resolve conflicts of interest that may arise in a drug law adjudication involving Medina Spirit.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commissioners, known connections to Buffert

Commissioner Charlie O’Connor – Director of Sales for Coolmore America, which features several outstanding Buffert-trained horses at the stud, including the Triple Crown American Pharoah and Justify; Maximum Security, who was transferred to Buffert from Jason Service (recently charged with drugs) after being disqualified from the Kentucky Derby; Lookin At Lucky Contest Winner; and multiple winner at Cupid rates. Coolmore is interested in preserving Buffert’s reputation.

Another commissioner, Leslie Howard, is the general manager of Stonestreet Farms, which owns or co-owns several horses trained by Buffert, including Charlatan, Hozier, Bezos, Mani Mike, Fenway and Kervett. A year ago, while still at Buffert’s stable, after winning the Arkansas Derby division, it was discovered that he had lidocaine in his system.

The third commissioner, Tom Riddle, has been a veterinarian at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for many years and is now the director of public relations. Buffert has treated horses at Rood & Riddle, including Life Is Good, which recently underwent surgery there. This undefeated horse was the favorite of the Kentucky Derby earlier this year before he was injured.

A slap on the wrist is not enough

If Buffert is found to have violated drug laws, we also urge the Commission to take more serious action than simply disqualifying Medina Spirit, reallocating prize money, and imposing a fine. The KHRC must pay out all the money that the bettors who placed their bets on the runner-up horse should have won. This precedent was set in a lawsuit filed against the bettors, which was defended by PETA last year.

In addition, the KHRC is to investigate the veterinarian who treated Medina Spirit at Churchill Downs and, most importantly, revoke Buffert’s license to race in Kentucky. Buffert was responsible for four drug law violations in the past 12 months alone and 30 years earlier. Drugging a horse is not only cheating, but also abuse. Illicit drugs such as betamethasone are given to horses to get them to run faster or to mask the pain of existing injuries, often leading to fatal racetrack breakdowns. The KHRC and the racing industry in general are responsible for stopping drug use.

While horse racing can never be completely safe for animals, meaningful safety reforms will make a huge difference to them.

Help horses who are forced to gallop beyond their capabilities