Baffert

An administrative proceeding conducted under the authority of the California *616 Horse Racing Board (“the Board”) resulted in an order suspending, for 60 days, Plaintiff Bob Baffert’s license to race horses in California. While his appeal from the suspension order was pending, Plaintiff filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 , seeking to enjoin the state proceedings on the ground that the Board had failed to preserve evidence to which Plaintiff was constitutionally entitled. The Board argued that the principles of Younger abstention 1 required the district court to decline jurisdiction. The district court nevertheless decided the case. Because we agree with the Board that Younger abstention applies, we reverse and remand with instructions to dismiss.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiff trains thoroughbred racehorses. Defendants are the Board, 2 which is the administrative body charged with overseeing horse racing in California, and its individual members.

On May 3, 2000, “Nautical Look,” a horse trained by Plaintiff, won the seventh race at the Hollywood Park racetrack. As California’s regulations require, the track veterinarian took blood and urine samples…