Kentucky Derby Winner Medina Spirit Fails Drug Test, Churchill Downs Suspends Baffert

Medina Spirit, the longshot who gave trainer Bob Baffert his record-setting 7th Bluegrass State Derby win, tried and true electropositive after the run for an extravagant amount of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug steroid. Baffert made the annunciation Billy Sunday forenoon and denied the allegations.

Two hours after Baffert’s printing press conference, First Duke of Marlborough Downs issued a financial statement expression it suspended the Charles Francis Hall of Fame trainer from entering horses for races at the Louisville caterpillar track for the time being.

“Failure to follow with the rules and medication protocols jeopardizes the safety of the horses and jockeys, the integrity of our athletics and the reputation of the KY Derby and all who participate. Sir Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill Downs will not tolerate it… We will await the ending of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commissions’ investigation before taking farther steps,” the cart track said.

The KHRC conducted the test on Medina Spirit on Derby Day, according to a financial statement early Billy Sunday afternoon. Those results came rear on Friday. Baffert told reporters i of his assistants was notified of the results on Saturday.

Baffert will appealingness the results. The specimen taken on Derby Clarence Shepard Day Jr. was split up into ii samples. a research lab will at present run the remaining sample as portion of the appeal.

“During the investigation, both the trainer and proprietor of the gymnastic horse will live afforded due process, and opportunity to appeal,” said Marc Guilfoil, the commission’s executive director. “Therefore, the KHRC testament not supply farther notice at this time.”

If the split try out confirms the foremost test, then Medina Spirit faces disqualification. That would intend Mandaloun, another longshot who finished just now a half-length back, becomes the official winner.

Outcome Would Not Affect Betting Payouts

Should that occur, it would follow the secondment upturned termination inward the last trinity runnings. In 2019, stewards disqualified Maximum Security after a lengthy post-race look back for interference.

In 1968, Dancer’s Image won the KY Derby and received the garland of roses after the race. The day after, though, officials reported that he failed a drug test. That circle away a years-long judicature battle, finally leading to officials naming second-place Forward Pass as the Derby winner.

Unlike the 2019 Derby, when stewards disqualified Maximum Security prior to making the run official, any disqualification of Al Madinah Spirit would non commute pari-mutuel payouts. Medina Spirit paid $26.20 to win, $12 to come in and $7.60 to show. Mandaloun paid $23 and $13.40. a $2 perfecta paid $503.60.

Baffert inwards Disbelief

Baffert met with reporters remote his b Sunday forenoon and strenuously defended his stalls and his newest KY Derby winner.

Medina Spirit has ne'er been treated with betamethasone,” he told reporters outdoors his b at Churchill Downs. “I cannot trust that I’m here before you guys. I’d never thought I’d follow here.”

While often considered 1 of the best trainers ever, this is not the foremost time Baffert has faced allegations and positive degree tests. He has had several positive degree try results overturned, including just last-place month, when the Arkansas Racing Commission reversed disqualifications against Baffert horses Charlatan and Gamine from wins they had at Oaklawn Mungo Park lastly year. In this case, the trainer also avoided a 15-day suspension, but the Commission still fined him $10,000.

And earlier this year, the Bluegrass State Horse Racing Commission officially disqualified Gamine from her third-place destination inward cobbler's last year’s Bluegrass State Oaks – also held at Churchill Downs – after a post-race mental testing also found exuberant amounts of betamethasone.

Baffert avoided a suspension, but the charge did amercement him $1,500.

On the same solar day that Al Madinah Spirit won the Derby, Gamine came back up to Winston S. Churchill Downs and won the Derby City Distaff. With that win, Baffert also earned his 220th Grade 1 stakes win, scene a unexampled book for trainers.

There’s also the vitrine of another KY Derby winner, Justify. Thomas More than a year after he won the Triple Crown, reports surfaced that he and other horses time-tested positive for hyoscine after winning the Santa Anita Derby. Justify needful that triumph in dictate to restrict for the Kentucky Derby.

Earlier this year, the California Horse Racing Board decided to maintain the decision non to disqualify Justify after it was set he and the other horses were inadvertently uncovered to jimson weed, which caused the contamination.

Medina Spirit Still Preakness Bound

Baffert inwards his comments to reporters said he feels the like he and his horse are victims, and it would follow “an injustice” to Medina Spirit if he ends beingness disqualified.

I don’t know what’s going on in racing flop now, but there’s something non right,” he said. “And I don’t feel embarrassed. i experience similar i was wronged.”

The test, according to Baffert, showed 21 picograms of betamethasone inward Medina Spirit’s system. Under KHRC rules, 9 milligrams of the anti-inflammatory drug put up be administered in a bingle arteria up to 7 years before the scheduled stake time of the race. The commission’s guidelines urge a thirster stop for muscular injections.

In appealing the confirming test, Baffert also said his barn would carry on its possess review. He pledged to “be transparent” with the KHRC.

He, same the beast welfare advocates, also called on the boast to light upward its game.

“Our manufacture needs to tread upwardly and we want to make out a better job in racing,” Baffert said. “There’s something wrong right now. I’ve been talking near it. Nothing seems to live sledding through with(p) well-nigh it, but these taint levels… and I’m not a conspiracy therapist. I live everybody’s not come out to get me, but there’s definitely something wrong. Why does it go on to me? You know, there’s problems inwards racing, but it’s non Bob Baffert.”

Still, he understands because of the cartroad track record mentioned above, the scrutiny he faces. But he added that should the split prove come dorsum negative, then he hopes reporters handle that as vociferously as Sunday’s news.

Baffert now faces a hebdomad of still more scrutiny, as he testament stock-still submit his Derby winner to Baltimore for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, the secondly jewel inwards the Triple Crown.