Zedan vs CDI Lawsuit

[Squeaky]

Can one of our attorneys explain the anti-SLAPP rule? I found the explanation here a bit confusing.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... zedan-suit

[Squeaky]

Hearing set for this afternoon https://www.drf.com/news/judge-schedule ... -afternoon

[Starine]

Bob Baffert In Kentucky Derby? Kentucky Judge Schedules April 15 Hearing
https://paulickreport.com/news/triple-c ... 15-hearing

[Izvestia]

Bob Baffert In Kentucky Derby? Kentucky Judge Schedules April 15 Hearing
https://paulickreport.com/news/triple-c ... 15-hearing

I am confused though. Muth didn’t actually earn the points to get in.

[Tessablue]

I'm imagining a world where the attempt somehow succeeds, but then the connections of the #20 horse file an injunction, and then Zedan files another one, and then...

[Izvestia]

I'm imagining a world where the attempt somehow succeeds, but then the connections of the #20 horse file an injunction, and then Zedan files another one, and then...

Could happen..

“This lawsuit...demands extraordinary and unprecedented relief—an order requiring Churchill Downs at the 11th hour to disqualify horses that have earned berths in this year’s Kentucky Derby on May 4, and replace them with horses owned by Zedan and trained by Baffert," Churchill Downs asserted, calling the suit a "demand for a last-minute judicial takeover of the world’s most storied horse race."”

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... zedan-suit

[Curtis]

I'm imagining a world where the attempt somehow succeeds, but then the connections of the #20 horse file an injunction, and then Zedan files another one, and then...

Could happen..

“This lawsuit...demands extraordinary and unprecedented relief—an order requiring Churchill Downs at the 11th hour to disqualify horses that have earned berths in this year’s Kentucky Derby on May 4, and replace them with horses owned by Zedan and trained by Baffert," Churchill Downs asserted, calling the suit a "demand for a last-minute judicial takeover of the world’s most storied horse race."”

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... zedan-suit

I attended the 1981 Derby which was the last to have more than 20 make the gate. When we all went to bed Friday night, 20 were entered. When we got to CD on Derby Day, 22 were slated to go. There was one scratch so in the end, 21 competed. Whatever loopholes those extra 2 horses walked through, were closed up after that year.

[luvsgeldings]

i am so sorry Deterministic had a bad race last weekend - i was very much looking forward to Mr Clement finally getting a horse in the Derby - that man is all class - (by the way.... has anyone heard what happened with Deterministic? he faded so badly that i was concerned - but have not heard/read anything about him since the race).

so instead of the classy Clement... we get more drama around Baffert and Zedan - in my opinion, two of the most classless men in the game. what a shame.

[Tessablue]

i am so sorry Deterministic had a bad race last weekend - i was very much looking forward to Mr Clement finally getting a horse in the Derby - that man is all class - (by the way.... has anyone heard what happened with Deterministic? he faded so badly that i was concerned - but have not heard/read anything about him since the race).

so instead of the classy Clement... we get more drama around Baffert and Zedan - in my opinion, two of the most classless men in the game. what a shame.

Can't remember what article it was, but somewhere on DRF I read that he came out of the race great and Clement is genuinely baffled by the performance. Seems very likely that they will skip the Derby with him, but owners do get final say. I agree that it was very disappointing; Clement is the sort of trainer I would love to see with a major Derby contender.

Good news is, we did get a Mott contender out of the race!

[CoronadosQuest]

i am so sorry Deterministic had a bad race last weekend - i was very much looking forward to Mr Clement finally getting a horse in the Derby - that man is all class - (by the way.... has anyone heard what happened with Deterministic? he faded so badly that i was concerned - but have not heard/read anything about him since the race).

so instead of the classy Clement... we get more drama around Baffert and Zedan - in my opinion, two of the most classless men in the game. what a shame.

To be fair, this time its Zedan who opened his big mouth. Baffert said Muth was going to the Preakness. It is Zedan who said he wanted to go to the Derby with him.

[luvsgeldings]

thank you, Tessa, for the info about Deterministic - i am grateful to know he was physically ok after the race. wherever/whenever he shows up next, i hope he runs a big one.

[Tessablue]

Update on today's hearing from DRF: https://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby ... -attorneys

The major points:

Perry spent much of Monday’s hearing drilling attorneys for Zedan on why the owner waited to file his request for a temporary injunction until April when it was known that Baffert had been banned through the 2024 Derby in July of the previous year. Perry told Zedan’s legal team that much of the relief they were seeking could have been issued at any point in the last 10 months after stating that the late hour of their request was putting “an incredible time crunch on everyone involved, including this court.”

“You still could have come with a request for declaratory relief, have the court say there’s no basis for this” ban, Perry said. “I do that all the time. I could have done that for this.”

William Brammell, Zedan’s local legal representative, responded that the issues were not legally “ripe” until Muth had qualified for the Derby with the points he could have earned from the Arkansas Derby win. He said that until that happened, the issues were “a lot of hypotheticals on top of hypotheticals.”

Perry also asked Brammell why Zedan did not transfer his horses to other trainers due to the ban.

“It’s a hard thing to do, it’s hard for the horse,” Brammell said. “Any by the way, we shouldn’t have to do that.”

A Churchill attorney, Thomas Dupree, pointed out to the judge that Zedan was well aware that his horses would not earn qualifying points when he decided to place his horses in the care of Baffert.

“He knew back in July of last year that if he kept Mr. Baffert as his trainer then his horses would not be eligible,” Dupree said. “Each time, he decided to stick with Mr. Baffert, knowing the consequences of his decision, and he now regrets that decision.”

Dupree also submitted a Triple Crown nomination form to the court that was signed by Baffert for several horses owned by Zedan. The nomination form states in its conditions that the three host tracks of the Triple Crown can deny entry to any trainer’s horses “for any reason” prior to any of the three races. The form also states that the signee agrees to the rules of the association.

“That’s a contract,” Dupree said. “There’s no dispute on that from Mr. Zedan’s side.”

Wouldn't be shocked if Zedan earns himself a personal ban at the end of all of this.

[brunanas]

i wonder if it ever went through their heads that if they had just accepted the original ban it wouldn't have lasted a month. the more they try to protest the longer it gets. and it will definitely get longer after this.

[Northport]

i wonder if it ever went through their heads that if they had just accepted the original ban it wouldn't have lasted a month. the more they try to protest the longer it gets. and it will definitely get longer after this.

I dont think it is an “if”. Churchill explicitly stated that the ban was extended because of Baffert’s refusal to accept responsibility and move on, it’s that simple. Baffert thinking that Churchill would reverse the ban after he finally dropped his legal case, six months after the ban was extended, is laughable. Zedan continuing to dig this hole on his own is just a whole other level.

[CoronadosQuest]

But doesn't Zedan's horses have to be TC nominated to run in the Preakness or Belmont? It doesn't mean that they thought they would get to run in the Kentucky Derby, right? I just assumed this was Zedan being stupid since Baffert said Muth was being pointed to the Preakness and then all of a sudden Zedan was like WAIT I WANT DERBY >:(

[Flanders]

But doesn't Zedan's horses have to be TC nominated to run in the Preakness or Belmont? It doesn't mean that they thought they would get to run in the Kentucky Derby, right? I just assumed this was Zedan being stupid since Baffert said Muth was being pointed to the Preakness and then all of a sudden Zedan was like WAIT I WANT DERBY >:(

I'm pretty sure horses have to be Triple Crown nominated to run in any of the races.

[CoronadosQuest]

But doesn't Zedan's horses have to be TC nominated to run in the Preakness or Belmont? It doesn't mean that they thought they would get to run in the Kentucky Derby, right? I just assumed this was Zedan being stupid since Baffert said Muth was being pointed to the Preakness and then all of a sudden Zedan was like WAIT I WANT DERBY >:(

I'm pretty sure horses have to be Triple Crown nominated to run in any of the races.

Thats what I thought so I don't think it was Baffert that thought that CD would drop it. I think its completely Zedan that thought they would.

[Flanders]

But doesn't Zedan's horses have to be TC nominated to run in the Preakness or Belmont? It doesn't mean that they thought they would get to run in the Kentucky Derby, right? I just assumed this was Zedan being stupid since Baffert said Muth was being pointed to the Preakness and then all of a sudden Zedan was like WAIT I WANT DERBY >:(

I'm pretty sure horses have to be Triple Crown nominated to run in any of the races.

Thats what I thought so I don't think it was Baffert that thought that CD would drop it. I think its completely Zedan that thought they would.

Okay so I found the nominations terms & conditions. An owner could nominate later or just per race(except not the Preakness, see below) but the nomination cost is exceptionally high compared to the early nomination to all 3.

https://www.thetriplecrown.com/terms.html

POSTMARKED BY JANUARY 29, 2024 - $600 ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE PAID AT TIME OF NOMINATION.

FROM JANUARY 30 THROUGH APRIL 1, 2024 - $6,000 due at time of nominating.

April 2nd onwards - $200,000 for all 3 races
or 50k each for the Kentucky Derby or Belmont
or 150k for the Preakness/Belmont (can't just nominate for the Preakness)

[brunanas]

well, i mean, $200,000 to Zedan is like... pocket change?

[Northport]

well, i mean, $200,000 to Zedan is like... pocket change?

I think that covers his weekly legal expenses