Settlement: Justify DQ'D from 2018 Santa Anita Derby win
From staff and wire reports
Nearly six years after the race, Triple Crown winner Justify has been disqualified from his Santa Anita Derby victory in a settlement of a lawsuit by the owner of the runner-up.
Mick Ruis, who also was the trainer of second-place finisher Bolt d’oro, had sued the California Horse Racing Board in an effort to overturn the CHRB’S decision not to take action after Justify’s post-race test in 2018 came back positive for the prohibited substance scopolamine
The settlement in Los Angeles Superior Court — first reported by The Bloodhorse — calls for Justify to be disqualified and placed last in the seven-horse race and for the CHRB to pay $300,000 to Ruis.
Bolt d’oro now earns the $600,000 winner’s share of the $1,000,345 purse instead of $200,000 for second, while Justify and owners China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing and Winstar Farm are stripped of the $600,000 the colt had earned for winning by three lengths under jockey Mike Smith for trainer Bob Baffert.
The disqualification means Justify no longer was officially undefeated in six starts. It does not affect his sweep of the 2018 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, which made him the 13th American Triple Crown winner.
CHRB spokesman Mike Marten confirmed there has been a settlement but could not comment further because it’s an active case, meaning Justify’s connections could appeal.
Baffert noted that he was not involved in the litigation or the resolution.
“All parties clearly recognized that the test reported on Justify, and other horses at that time, came from a feed contaminant, specifically jimsonweed, found in the hay fed to the horses,” Baffert said by text message in response to a request for comment. “The recent announced decision dealt with whether the positive from the contaminant should have resulted in disqualification and purse redistribution.”
Scopolamine, an antispasmodic medication, is prohibited because it could improve horses’ performance by aiding breathing.
— Kevin Modesti
Dotson re-signs with Rams for three years
Right guard Kevin Dotson agreed to terms on a three-year contract to stay with the Rams.
The deal is expected to be worth $48 million for Dotson, who became one of the NFL’S top-rated guards and a pillar of the Rams’ offense last season after they acquired him from Pittsburgh in training camp.
■ Sean Desai, 40, a former defensive coordinator with the Bears and Eagles, and associate head coach with the Seahawks, has joined the Rams’ coaching staff as a senior assistant.
Massive leaderboard logjam at Bay Hill
Shane Lowry set the target Friday at Bay
Hill, and as tough as the course plays, he would not have imagined how much company he would have at the top in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Scottie Scheffler chipped in for eagle and holed a 45-foot birdie putt on his way to a 5-under
67. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark birdied five of his last six holes — he had nine birdies for the round — and shot 66. Hideki Matsuyama, coming off a win at Riviera, had a 70 to put himself in the mix for another $4 million payoff.
All that movement late on a warm day in Orlando led to a six-way share of the lead that includes British Open champion Brian Harman (68) and Russell Henley (69).
They were at 7-under 137. It was the largest logjam through 36 holes on the PGA Tour since seven were tied for the lead at the Texas Open in 2011.
Lowry shot 71. Will Zalatoris shot 69 with only one birdie on the four par 5s, confident his back troubles are behind him. Justin Thomas (71) and Viktor Hovland (69) are among those three shots back.
■ Tiger Woods is not in the field for The Players Championship next week, opening questions about whether or where the fivetime Masters champion will play before Augusta National. There was no reason why Woods chose not to play at the TPC Sawgrass, where he has won twice.
■ Abraham Ancer and Dean Burmester shot 7-under 63s to share the firstround lead at the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong.
■ Narin An shot a 7-under 65 to join Sarah Schmeizel in the lead after the second round of the Blue Bay LPGA on China’s southern island of Hainan.
Fiala’s OT goal lifts Kings over Senators
Kevin Fiala scored on a spinning backhander two minutes into overtime to lift the Kings over Ottawa for their third victory in four games. Jacob Moverare had his first career goal, Quinton Byfield and Pierre-luc Dubois also scored and Cam Talbot made 28 saves.
■ The Kings were the only team among the top 12 Stanley Cup favorites not to make a significant addition over the past several weeks.