Owner of Baffert-trained Muth sues Churchill Downs seeking to allow horse to run in Kentucky Derby

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The owner of Arkansas Derby winner Muth has sued Churchill Downs Inc. and is seeking a temporary injunction against what it called the track’s “illegal” ban of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert that keeps the colt he trained from competing in next month’s 150th Kentucky Derby. Zedan Racing Stables filed the suit on Wednesday in Jefferson Circuit Court in Louisville and asserted that the ban of Zedan and other Baffert-trained horses from running in the milestone Derby on May 4 “has no basis in law or in fact.” A release from Zedan’s public relations firm on Wednesday suggested the ban was fueled by CDI CEO Bill Carstanjen’s personal vendetta against the two-time Triple Crown winner. A CDI statement called Zedan’s lawsuit the latest meritless attempt to relitigate Baffert's suspension and said lifting it now would threaten the safety and integrity of races at Churchill Downs by changing the qualification rules just before the Derby. It added: “The same issues in this complaint have been decided by the courts and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which have repeatedly upheld Baffert’s suspension and the disqualification of Medina Spirit.” Muth won last week’s Arkansas Derby by two lengths, but the ban denied him the 100 points that normally would automatically qualify for the Derby.