Baffert Ban and Derby Points

[Dream_Police]

The American Pharoah this weekend gives out Derby points to the top 4 finishers so the question I have is, What happens to those points if Baffert wins or places in any of those spots? Churchill has stated that any points won by banned trainers(Baffert) that those points would be vacated. I was wondering what would happen if Baffert,in a plan to get back at Churchill, runs in all the prep races that he can just to screw up the points and keep some good horses out. I haven't heard if CD was planning on awarding those points to the horses that fill out the spots vacated by a Baffert horse but it would seem that you would be giving points to a lesser talented horse.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Dream_Police

The American Pharoah this weekend gives out Derby points to the top 4 finishers so the question I have is, What happens to those points if Baffert wins or places in any of those spots? Churchill has stated that any points won by banned trainers(Baffert) that those points would be vacated. I was wondering what would happen if Baffert,in a plan to get back at Churchill, runs in all the prep races that he can just to screw up the points and keep some good horses out. I haven't heard if CD was planning on awarding those points to the horses that fill out the spots vacated by a Baffert horse but it would seem that you would be giving points to a lesser talented horse.

I'm not sure it matters all that much. The horses you want in the Derby are the ones who win or finish close in big prep races. Whether they give 4th place points to some horse who is well beaten by an ineligible Baffert horse isn't really that important, because it doesn't matter whether that horse runs in the Kentucky Derby.