L. A. judge grants Baffert a stay

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bob Baffert on Friday received a temporary restraining order against the California Horse Racing Board, allowing him to train while an appeal is heard for a morphine positive found in one of his runners last year.

Baffert's lawyer, Neil Papiano, received the stay from Los Angeles Superior Court judge David Yaffe. Baffert was given a 60-day suspension by the CHRB on June 17 after morphine was found in the post-race urine test of Nautical Look, who won an allowance race at Hollywood Park in May 2000.

Baffert's suspension was scheduled to be served from Monday through Aug. 23. It is now indefinitely postponed, pending an appeal.

As a result of the stay, Baffert's case is expected to be turned over to the state's office of administrative hearings, which will assign an administrative law judge to hear the appeal. At the conclusion of that stage, the CHRB can accept, modify, or reject the administrative law judge's decision.

Papiano has said that any further CHRB decisions against Baffert will result in further appeals in court.