Federal court dismisses bettors' lawsuit against Baffert

A federal court in Kentucky has dismissed a class-action lawsuit against Bob Baffert over the result and subsequent disqualification of Medina Spirit in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

The United States District Court of the Western District of Kentucky granted a motion to dismiss, filed by Baffert's attorneys. The decision was previously reported by Dan Ross of Thoroughbred Daily News.

The group of plaintiffs was spearheaded by Michael Beychok, a political consultant and member of the National Horseplayers Championship hall of fame. The plaintiffs had all bet on Mandaloun in the 2021 Kentucky Derby and argued that they would have cashed those tickets but for a "drug-induced win by Medina Spirit."

The group of bettors made claims based on federal and state Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act provisions, common law fraud and equitable fraud. In order for a suit to go forward, there needs to be a legally recognized injury suffered by the plaintiffs that was caused by the defendant. In Friday's opinion judge Claria Horn Boom ruled that the plaintiffs did not properly state a redressable injury in the context of either the RICO claims or common law fraud claims, and ruled that Kentucky does not recognize a doctrine of equitable fraud.

The court granted Baffert's motion to dismiss the lawsuit in all respects other than the argument that the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue. With that, the case has been dismissed with prejudice according to an order dated Friday, meaning the case cannot be refiled. The court's decision to dismiss the case be appealed within 30 days. According to the TDN report, Beychok acknowledges a remote possibility of appealing the decision, but admits that an appeal is unlikely.