Medina Spirit’s vet gets probation for using ‘dangerous drugs’

Dr. Vincent Baker, who treated Medina Spirit until the colt’s sudden death in 2021, agreed to four years of probation after he was accused by California veterinary regulators of negligence in the use of “dangerous drugs” on at least 40 racehorses in the last 4 1/2 years.

The “stipulated settlement and disciplinary order” by the Veterinary Medical Board of the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs was filed July 21 and took effect Aug. 21. The 94 pages in the public order were put in the spotlight Thursday on X, formerly Twitter, by Justin Wunderler, a New Jersey resident whose @SwiftHitter account full of racing content has 12,885 followers. The news was then reported by BloodHorse.

“Baker prescribed, dispensed or administered a drug, medication, appliance, application or treatment to animal patients without performing an examination and forming a diagnosis of any condition that required treatment,” the state’s paperwork said.

According to confidential reports provided by the California Horse Racing Board, the veterinary board said “clusters of (Baker’s) equine patients were administered identical medications and treatments at the same time at the request of their trainers without medical examinations or necessity.”

Baker’s attorney Lisa Brown, who is based in Pasadena, Calif., had not yet responded to an email request early Friday from Horse Racing Nation asking for her reaction to the settlement.

The names of the horses were abbreviated in the state document “to protect the identities of the equine patients.” One who was called “equine patient M. Sp.” was said by the veterinary board to have been treated by Baker until the day Medina Spirit dropped dead at the end of a workout at Santa Anita.

In one of the causes for discipline, Baker was accused by the veterinary board of “dispensing dangerous drugs without medical necessity” to 40 horses, including “M. Sp.”

“Between Oct. 28, 2020, and Dec. 6, 2021, without performing an appropriate examination and forming a diagnosis of any condition that required treatment,” the document said, “Baker dispensed (18) unnecessary dangerous drugs to equine patient M. Sp.”

The list of drugs included Otomax, which trainer Bob Baffert contended was legally applied to Medina Spirit before the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Betamethasone, the active ingredient in that skin ointment, was what led to the colt’s disqualification. It is a legal medication, but under Kentucky Horse Racing Commission rules it has to be out of a horse’s system on race day. The Otomax application was the catalyst for Baffert’s ongoing suspension by Churchill Downs Inc. as well as his administrative and legal fights against CDI and racing regulators in Kentucky and New York.

“Between April 9, 2021, and April 19, 2021,” the California document said, “Baker treated equine patient M. Sp. with Otomax without offering to provide and note in the medical record the required drug consultation.”

Among the veterinary board’s 14 causes for discipline, Baker also was accused of ordering medication of horses “without establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship with the patients,” of “failing to keep written records containing information required (under state law) for equine patients receiving veterinary services,” of using “misbranded drugs” and of having in his possession “a drug, substance, or medication that has not been approved by the (Food and Drug Administration) for use in the United States.”

California’s case against Baker goes back to the summer of 2019, when he was accused of having “deficiencies in drug logs and medical records.” A complaint filed against Baker early in 2021 led the veterinary board to get records from the California Horse Racing Board showing 3,339 treatments done by Baker for at least eight trainers that winter.

Baker also was fined $3,000.

Under terms of the probation, Baker may continue his veterinary work out of his office in Cypress, Calif., near Los Alamitos Race Course. However, he must report to regulators every three months and be available for random inspections that will cost him $500 each. Baker also must be prepared to provide the veterinary board with records explaining his treatment of animals during his probation.

If he fails to meet the conditions of his probation, Baker could lose his license either temporarily or permanently.