D. Wayne Lukas, who is searching for his record-tying seventh Preakness Stakes victory on Saturday, came to the defense of his buddy Bob Baffert, whose latest Kentucky Derby win is shrouded in controversy.
The legendary trainer has come under fire after Medina Sprit tested positive for an increased level of betamethasone after winning the Kentucky Derby.
"I respect him. I think he's the No. 1 face of rushing right now. I only feel like it has been unjust what's occurred. He clearly is innocent but the majority of people do not know it," Lukas said.
"What they don't know is we've gone from basic chemistry testing system to some very, very complicated testing. Very sophisticated. And we haven't altered the threshold levels. We have not got it right down to where contamination and a topical salve such as in the case of the Derby winner will be tested. And so we wake up and all a sudden the testing is strong but the rules have not changed. We got to adjust them."
Medina Spirit is going to have the ability to ride at the Preakness under"rigorous conditions to entrance together with a binding commitment from Bob Baffert to complete transparency of medical and testing results which will allow for all outcomes to be released to the general public," the Maryland Jockey Club and also 1/ST Racing announced.
Tuesday's decision came just hours after Baffert demonstrated that a"possible origin" of positive drug test following the Kentucky Derby could happen to be out of a fungal ointment that contained betamethasone.
Baffert had previously defended his horse.
Lukas is set to operate Ram in the Preakness over the weekend. Lukas' past Preakness victory came in 2013. When he selects another success, he'd tie Baffert and R. Wyndham Walden.
