Hall-of-fame trainer Bob Baffert is banned from Saturday's Kentucky Derby

Hall-of-fame trainer Bob Baffert is banned from Saturday's Kentucky Derby

Transcript¹

This year's Kentucky Derby features 20 thoroughbreds but it will be missing Bob Baffert, who has won the triple crown twice. He is suspended because of a series of failed drug tests by his horses.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

The most famous horse-racing² event is tomorrow. This year's Kentucky Derby features 20 thoroughbreds. But it's missing the sport's most famous human. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended because of a series of failed drug tests by his horses. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE³: One year ago at famed Churchill Downs Racetrack, it took a tick over 2 minutes for a thundering thoroughbred to land its famous trainer in the winner's circle a record-breaking seventh time.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MIKE TIRICO: Heading to the finish in the Kentucky Derby. Here's the wire. Bob Baffert does it again. Medina Spirit has won the Kentucky Derby.

GOLDMAN: But eight days later, Bob Baffert announced Medina Spirit failed a drug test after the derby. It began a monthslong saga⁴ that resulted in the horse's disqualification and Baffert's derby record reverting⁵ to a record-tying six victories. He also was punished with a two-year ban from Churchill Downs and the current 90-day suspension that takes him out of all the Triple Crown races. Gone for now is the trainer instantly recognizable with his white hair and tinted⁶ glasses, who entertains media and fans with his wisecracks and poetic⁷ takes on racing, like this one in 2016.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BOB BAFFERT: A good horse is like a good song. You just remember what you were doing when that song was playing or when that horse was running.

GOLDMAN: The memory of Medina Spirit is a sad and contentious⁸ one. The horse suddenly died after a workout late last year. Baffert's defense⁹ of the failed test, he says it was inadvertently caused by a legal topical ointment¹⁰. And his fight against the resulting bans led to lawsuits¹¹ and angry media appearances. This was Baffert on "The Dan Patrick Show."

(SOUNDBITE OF RADIO SHOW, "THE DAN PATRICK SHOW")

BAFFERT: I think it was just a knee-jerk, cancel culture kind of reaction.

GOLDMAN: But horse-racing journalist Ray Paulick says Baffert's history makes the sanctions against him seem anything but knee-jerk.

RAY PAULICK: He had seven medication violations¹² in three states over a 14-month period, beginning in 2019.

GOLDMAN: Paulick publishes the Paulick Report, which covers thoroughbred racing and breeding around the world.

PAULICK: So I think what Churchill Downs is saying, you've been sloppy¹³. You've made too many mistakes. We're tired of it. We're tired of the way you're reacting to it. And we're going to give you a two-year timeout, basically.

GOLDMAN: Baffert is revered¹⁴ in some quarters for his abilities. He's won with the most expensive horses and those without the best pedigree. He's reviled¹⁵ elsewhere for the history of drug violations and high rate of deaths of horses under his care. Ironically, perhaps, his 90-day suspension is due to end July 2. A day after, a major reform effort begins - the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act goes into effect. Among its provisions, a plan to fix the current patchwork¹⁶ of drug regulations in horse racing. Marty Irby is with Animal Wellness Action.

MARTY IRBY: For the trainers and for the industry, this brings certainty and consistency¹⁷ where they know the same rules are going to be the same in every state, at every track and that they're not going to be using any kind of drugs on race day.

GOLDMAN: His optimism, though, was blunted this week when it was announced the respected U.S. Anti-Doping Agency won't be hired to enforce the law as some backers hoped. Irby says the law still will be better than the current status quo but not nearly as good as things could be with the agency's comprehensive approach to anti-doping. For now, the Triple Crown season begins tomorrow with the usual fanfare¹⁸ and traditional mint juleps at Churchill Downs, but without one very familiar and polarizing horse trainer.

Tom Goldman, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF BALMORHEA'S "REMEMBERANCE")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 saga   

n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事，英雄传奇

参考例句：

• The saga of Flight 19 is probably the most repeated story about the Bermuda Triangle.飞行19中队的传说或许是有关百慕大三角最重复的故事。
• The novel depicts the saga of a family.小说描绘了一个家族的传奇故事。

5 reverting   

恢复( revert的现在分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还

参考例句：

• The boss came back from holiday all relaxed and smiling, but now he's reverting to type. 老板刚度假回来时十分随和，满面笑容，现在又恢复原样了。
• The conversation kept reverting to the subject of money. 谈话的内容总是离不开钱的事。

6 tinted   

adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a pair of glasses with tinted lenses 一副有色镜片眼镜
• a rose-tinted vision of the world 对世界的理想化看法

7 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

8 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 ointment   

n.药膏，油膏，软膏

参考例句：

• Your foot will feel better after the application of this ointment.敷用这药膏后，你的脚会感到舒服些。
• This herbal ointment will help to close up your wound quickly.这种中草药膏会帮助你的伤口很快愈合。

11 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

12 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

13 sloppy   

adj.邋遢的，不整洁的

参考例句：

• If you do such sloppy work again,I promise I'll fail you.要是下次作业你再马马虎虎，我话说在头里，可要给你打不及格了。
• Mother constantly picked at him for being sloppy.母亲不断地批评他懒散。

14 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

15 reviled   

v.辱骂，痛斥( revile的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The tramp reviled the man who drove him off. 流浪汉辱骂那位赶他走开的人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The old man reviled against corruption. 那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 patchwork   

n.混杂物；拼缝物

参考例句：

• That proposal is nothing else other than a patchwork.那个建议只是一个大杂烩而已。
• She patched new cloth to the old coat,so It'seemed mere patchwork. 她把新布初到那件旧上衣上，所以那件衣服看上去就象拼凑起来的东西。

17 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。

18 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。