28 September 2023 , 10:17
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One of the world’s most recognisable racehorse trainers has launched a lawsuit against two vocal punters and social media influencers allegedly involved in a threat to release videos which would "end" his career.
Bob Baffert has won 17 Triple Crown races and with six victories in the Kentucky Derby jointly holds the record for the most wins in the famous horse race.
But since Medina Spirit won the race in 2021 and was then disqualified after failing a drug test, the trainer has been suspended from racing at Churchill Downs. Baffert, who continues to operate in California and other states, is still challenging his exclusion through the courts.
In a lawsuit filed in San Diego, Baffert, 70, alleged Justin Wunderler, aka @SwiftHitter, and Daniel Decorcia (@barshoelife) “have urged others to engage in violent behavior" toward the trainer and his family, and "baselessly accused Baffert of criminal conduct, and attempted to extort Baffert and his family under threats to his business, reputation, and occupational license.”
They are alleged to have made a series of defamatory statements about Baffert which have been viewed “hundreds of thousands of times on social media platforms”.
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It claimed their behaviour was part of a pattern “specifically intended to accrue more followers and personal monetary gain.”
Wunderler is one of the plaintiffs in a pair of federal lawsuits against Baffert in California and New Jersey over lost betting revenue caused by the 2021 Kentucky Derby drug scandal.
According to Baffert's lawsuit Wunderler allegedly sent a text message which demanded money “in exchange for a promise not to release information Defendants allege is so damaging that it will end Baffert’s career”.
The text is revealed in a screenshot in which a demand is made for “1K for those 2 clips” in exchange for the videos. Another screenshot of a social media post from Wunderler’s account said he would leave Baffert alone for $1m.
Baffert’s lawyer Clark Brewster wrote on X; "This action will compel production of any and all videos which I will gladly share publicly."
Wunderler said, in a direct message on X, to the San Diego Union-Tribune: "Never asked for money from Bob Baffert I want to do whats best for horse racing."