Lexington racing stable files lawsuit against Churchill Downs

LEXINGTON, KY (WTVQ)- Zedan Racing Stables is taking Churchill Downs to court to overturn a ban of all Bob Baffert trained horses, after the Lexington based farm’s three-year-old, Muth, won an automatic qualifier to run in the Kentucky Derby.

Muth, who Amr Zedan says is “one of the fastest three-year-olds in the country,” was trained by Baffert, who has been banned from the Louisville race track since 2021.

Under Baffert’s current suspension, Muth will not be able to take part in the May 4 race after winning the Arkansas Derby. 

Baffert’s three year ban started after his 2021 Kentucky Derby winning horse, Medina Spirit, tested positive for a banned substance after the race.

Zedan’s April 3 filing in the Kentucky Circuit Court aims to “enjoin the illegal ban of Zedan, and all other, horses trained by storied trainer Bob Baffert from running in this year’s 150th Kentucky Derby,” according to a release from the stable.

Churchill Downs is responding to Zedan’s lawsuit by saying that lifting Baffert’s suspension would be a threat to the safety of the races at the track in the coming weeks, including the Kentucky Derby.

“Zedan’s lawsuit is the latest meritless attempt to relitigate the Baffert suspension,” according to the statement. “The same issues in this complaint have been decided by the courts and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which have repeatedly upheld Baffert’s suspension and the disqualification of Medina Spirit.”