Countless well-known and well-dressed figures will be descending on Churchill Downs for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Sunday, but for the second consecutive year, legendary horse trainer Bob Baffert won't be one of them.
Baffert missed last year's Kentucky Derby and, despite his best efforts, won't be present again this year. His absence isn't voluntary, however. Baffert is banned from the event he's won six times — or seven, depending on who you ask.
Baffert's absence opens up opportunities for other trainers to win horse racing's most prestigious event, but his success on this stage means his absence will loom large over the race for the second consecutive year.
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Here's what you need to know about why Baffert isn't allowed at Churchill Downs for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
Why isn't Bob Baffert at the Kentucky Derby?
Baffert was banned by Churchill Downs for two years in May 2021 after his horse, Medina Spirit, was found to have tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Medina Spirit had won the Kentucky Derby days before news of the positive drug test surfaced. Medina Spirit was eventually disqualified, making Mandaloun the winner of the race and stripping Baffert of his seventh Derby victory. Medina Spirit died that December after collapsing during a workout at Santa Anita.
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Baffert missed last year's Kentucky Derby and saw his appeal to participate in this year's race rejected earlier in 2023. Baffert was allowed to transfer horses to another trainer by Feb. 28, but he won't be able to return to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby until 2024.
While he's very much a controversial figure, Baffert stands as one of the most successful trainers in the history of horse racing. His six Derby wins are tied for the most of any trainer, and his horses American Pharoah and Justify are responsible for the only two Triple Crowns this century.
Baffert is eligible for the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in 2023. He missed last year's Belmont Stakes due to a ban by the New York Racing Association. Come 2024, the 70-year-old Baffert is poised to run his horses in all three Triple Crown races once again.