Medina Spirit (April 5, 2018 – December 6, 2021) was an American
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
racehorse who finished first in the
2021 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified. He came second in the 2021
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
and third in the 2021
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...
.
Medina Spirit qualified for the Kentucky Derby with a win in the
Robert B. Lewis Stakes and second place finishes in the
San Felipe Stakes and
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...
. In the Kentucky Derby he was a long shot with post-time odds of 12–1.
He crossed the finish line first in the Derby, but was later disqualified after testing positive for the
anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as o ...
steroid betamethasone
Betamethasone is a corticosteroid, steroid medication. It is used for a number of diseases including rheumatic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, skin diseases such as dermatitis and psoriasis, allergic con ...
.
After the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit finished third in the
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...
, but a few days later the New York racing officials banned Medina Spirit and his trainer
Bob Baffert
Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakn ...
from participating in the
Belmont Stakes because of the drug violations. Later that year, Medina Spirit won the
Shared Belief Stakes and
Awesome Again Stakes
The Awesome Again Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. ...
before coming second in the
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
.
Background
Medina Spirit was a
dark bay
Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish-brown or brown body color with a black point coloration on the mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds.
The black ...
colt bred in Florida by Gail Rice. He was from the first crop of multiple
graded stakes winner Protonico, who stands at
Castleton Farm
Castleton Lyons near Lexington, Kentucky, is an American horse-racing stable and breeding business best known by the name Castleton Farm.
History
The farm was established in 1793 when Virginian John Breckinridge, a future U.S. senator and a ...
. Protonico is by
Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (5 km) northeast of ...
, who was a multiple Group I winner in Europe, nicknamed the Iron Horse. Giant's Causeway was later a
leading sire in North America. Medina Spirit was the first foal produced by Mongolian Changa, a daughter of Brilliant Speed, who won one of six starts.
Medina Spirit was foaled on April 5, 2018, on a 10-acre farm in
Ocala, Florida. His dam was at first unable to produce milk for him. Rice used some
colostrum
Colostrum, also known as beestings or first milk, is the first form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals (including humans) immediately following delivery of the newborn. Colostrum powder is rich in high protein and low in sugar and ...
that had been saved from another mare, providing the foal with crucial nutrients and antibodies. Mongolian Changa soon began to nurse normally and the colt developed into a "standout", known for his competitive spirit.
Medina Spirit attracted little attention when he was entered in the
Ocala
Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida.
Home to ...
Breeders Sale of January 2019. He was sold for the minimum $1,000 (meaning he received only one bid) to Christy Whitman, who later resold the colt to
bloodstock agent Gary Young who purchased him for $35,000 for
Amr Zedan
Amr F. Zedan (born 17 September 1974) is a Saudi Arabian businessmana serial venture capital investor thoroughbred horse breeder, and the Chairman of thSaudi Polo Federation
Education
Zedan obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial e ...
at the Ocala July Two-Year-Old Sale. Zedan had been interested in the colt in part because one of his friends, Oussama Aboughazale, had owned Protonico. Zedan named the horse for
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
, the second holiest city in
Islam after
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...
and also the capital of the
Medina Province of Saudi Arabia. Medina is the hometown of both Zedan and Aboughazale.
Medina Spirit was sent into training with
Hall of Famer
Bob Baffert
Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakn ...
, initially under assistant Mike Marlow. Medina Spirit kept surprising his connections by outworking the more expensive colts that Baffert's stable is known to attract.
"He reminded me of
Silver Charm
Silver Charm (foaled February 22, 1994) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and 1998 Dubai World Cup (all of which he is the oldest surviving winner). He stood at stud in both Amer ...
", said Baffert, referring to his first Derby winner from 1997. "He doesn't know how much he cost."
Medina Spirit traces to the thoroughbred family numbered 2-n, and was its first Kentucky Derby winner.
Racing career
2020: Two-year-old season
In his only race as a two-year-old, Medina Spirit won his debut in a
maiden special weight race over
furlongs
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in ho ...
at
Los Alamitos Race Course
Los Alamitos Race Course is a horse racing track in Cypress, California. The track hosts both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. The track has the distinction of holding four quarter horse stakes races with purses over $1 million, more than ...
on December 11, 2020. He vied for the early lead with
Sensemaker, running the first quarter-mile in 22.20. He took the lead turning for home and kicked clear to win by three
lengths.
2021: Three-year-old season
Medina Spirit made his first start as a three-year-old in the
Sham Stakes
The Sham Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old over the distance of one mile on the dirt scheduled annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a pu ...
at
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...
on January 2, 2021. The heavy favorite was
Life Is Good, another Baffert trainee who was also coming off a maiden race win.
Life Is Good went to the early lead and set sensible fractions while maintaining an advantage of three to four lengths down the backstretch and into the stretch. Medina Spirit, who had raced in second throughout, made a late run to close to within three-quarters of a length, with the third-place finisher 13 lengths further back. "They've got four months to improve", said Baffert, referring to the upcoming Kentucky Derby. "We need to let them mature and keep them healthy."
His next start was in the
Robert B. Lewis Stakes on January 30, where he went off as the even money favorite in a field of six. He went to the early lead and turned into the stretch with a one length lead. Hot Rod Charlie then started to inch closer, closing to within half a length in midstretch. From further back, Roman Centurion also started to close ground rapidly. In a blanket finish, Medina Spirit hung on to win by a neck over Roman Centurion, with Hot Rod Charlie a nose behind in third.
"He had every reason to give it up late in the stretch (when) those horses came to him", Baffert said. "I thought he was beat. I thought they were going to get by and he wouldn't let them by."
Medina Spirit made his next start in the
San Felipe Stakes on March 6. He was the second betting choice to
Life Is Good, who went to the early lead and was never challenged, winning by eight lengths over Medina Spirit, with Dream Shake third.
After the race, Baffert had minor throat surgery performed on the colt to improve his breathing.
He came second again in his final Derby prep, the
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...
on April 3.
Rock Your World, in his first start on the dirt, unexpectedly went to the early lead and pulled away in the stretch over Medina Spirit with Dream Shake again in third.
"The horse ran well," said jockey
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both ye ...
, “but the winner took the lead on a fast track and kept running. My horse kept coming and kept coming but couldn't catch up."
Kentucky Derby
The 2021 Kentucky Derby, held on May 1, 2021 at
Churchill Downs, attracted a deep field of 19. The favorite was the undefeated
champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...
Essential Quality
Essential Quality (foaled April 9, 2018) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was named the 2020 Champion Two-Year-Old and the 2021 Champion Th ...
, who had won the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...
and
Blue Grass Stakes
The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is a horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The race is ru ...
. Other highly regarded contenders included Rock Your World (Santa Anita Derby),
Known Agenda (
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Sat ...
),
Hot Rod Charlie (
Louisiana Derby
The Louisiana Derby is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Run in late March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race miles on the dirt. It currently o ...
), and
Mandaloun (
Risen Star Stakes
The Risen Star Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt run annually in February, usually during the President's Day weekend at Fair Grounds Race Course ...
). Medina Spirit was largely overlooked at odds of 12–1.
Velazquez decided to change tactics for the race after having rated the colt in the Santa Anita Derby. Instead, he sent Medina Spirit to the early lead, running the first quarter-mile in :23.09. They avoided a potential pace duel when Known Agenda broke poorly on the rail and Rock Your World got bumped at the start. Instead, Soup and Sandwich pressed the pace for the first three-quarters, then fell back and eventually finished last. Mandaloun closed to within a head as the field turned for home, with Hot Rod Charlie close behind. Medina Spirit and Mandaloun battled down the stretch with Medina Spirit pulling clear in the final strides to win by half a length. Hot Rod Charlie was another half length back in third and Essential Quality a further head behind in fourth.
Zedan Racing Stables won the Derby only five years after its founding.
Zedan said, "Naturally it was the Kentucky Derby, right? That's the show. That's what Bob said — that's the show, that's why we are here. I feel blessed, honored and humbled. I've rehearsed this speech in the shower and on the treadmill. Never thought I was going to do it, but here I am." Medina Spirit earned $1,860,000 by winning the race.
One week after the Kentucky Derby was run, Baffert's assistant Jimmy Barnes was informed by the
Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is the state agency responsible for regulating horse racing in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The agency was established in 1906, making it the oldest state racing commission in the United States.
Agency overv ...
that
post-race testing on Medina Spirit showed 21
pg/
mL of the
anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as o ...
steroid betamethasone
Betamethasone is a corticosteroid, steroid medication. It is used for a number of diseases including rheumatic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, skin diseases such as dermatitis and psoriasis, allergic con ...
. In Kentucky, betamethasone is classified as a Class C drug that is permitted for therapeutic use in horses, but requires a 14-day withdrawal time. Any amount of the drug detected in post-race testing is a violation and could result in a disqualification. In a news conference on May 9, Baffert said that Medina Spirit was never administered betamethasone. In addition to a request for a split drug sample, Baffert also requested an independent
DNA and
follicle test. He told reporters that he would fight the issue "...tooth and nail because I owe it to the horse, I owe it to the owner, and I owe it to our industry."
[ Shortly thereafter, Churchill Downs suspended Baffert from entering any horses at their racetrack pending the outcome of the commission's investigation. Baffert also added that he felt that the horse was a victim of " cancel culture". At one point, Baffert theorized that, prior to the race, Medina Spirit might have eaten hay on which a groom who had taken cough medication had urinated.
On May 11, 2021, Baffert released a statement through his attorney saying that ]veterinarians
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
treated Medina Spirit with Onomax, an antifungal ointment, from after the horse's second-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...
until the day before the Kentucky Derby. Baffert claimed that Onomax was used to treat dermatitis
Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can ...
on the horse's hind end, and that he did not realize the ointment had betamethasone until after the positive test was reported. Baffert said he never attempted to "game the system or get an unfair advantage", and quoted pharmacologists who told him that "21 picograms of betamethasone would have no effect on the outcome of the race."
On June 2, B2021, affert's attorneys announced that Medina Spirit's split sample also came back positive for betamethasone. They also announced that a third test had been authorized that would help detect chemicals to potentially support Baffert's claim that the steroid came from Onomax and not an injection. One lawyer, Clark Brewster, argued that he did not see any paperwork to show that the first two tests were properly administered. He also alleged that the horse's connections requested both bloodwork and urine to be submitted for split sampling, but only the bloodwork was sent. Later that same day, Churchill Downs announced that Bob Baffert would be banned from entering horses at all Churchill Downs-owned racetracks in the United States for two years. In June Baffert filed suit in Franklin County, Kentucky
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 51,541. Its county seat is Frankfort, the state capital. The county was formed in 1795 from parts of Woodford, Mercer and Shelby ...
civil court
Civil law may refer to:
* Civil law (common law), the part of law that concerns private citizens and legal persons
* Civil law (legal system), or continental law, a legal system originating in continental Europe and based on Roman law
** Private la ...
for more tests to be conducted before Medina Spirit could be stripped of his derby win, hoping to prove the presence of the aforementioned ointment Onomax which incidentally contains betamethasone and thus establishing that the "spirit of regulations" were not "knowingly violated".
Medina Spirit was ranked first in the NTRA
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is a broad-based coalition of American horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with incr ...
3-year-old poll, a weekly ranking of thoroughbreds by horse racing columnists and journalists, after his win in the Kentucky Derby. Following the report of the failed drug test, Medina Spirit dropped to fourth place in the same poll.
Two sets of bettors have filed class action lawsuits
A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class action ...
against Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert accusing him of "racketeering", fraud, and negligence".
On February 21, 2022, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission disqualified Medina Spirit from his first place finish in the Kentucky Derby and suspended trainer Bob Baffert for 90 days.[ Baffert's attorney, Clark Brewster, later announced that the ruling would be appealed.][ With this turn of events, Medina Spirit became only the third horse in the race's 147 year history to be disqualified after having first having been declared the winner. Subsequently the former second place horse Mandaloun was declared the winner.
]
Preakness Stakes
Medina Spirit's next start was the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...
, the second leg in the Triple Crown
Triple Crown may refer to:
Sports Horse racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)
** Triple Crown Trophy
** Triple Crown Productions
* Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Tri ...
, run at Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...
on May 15. Medina Spirit drew post position 3 and was installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite.
Prior to the draw for the race, Baffert announced he would not travel to the Preakness so as to not be a distraction, adding that he would be represented at Pimlico by his assistant Jimmy Barnes. Baffert also agreed to additional testing protocols for Medina Spirit in the days leading up to the race.[
On May 14, 2021, Medina Spirit passed all of the pre-race drug tests administered to him and was given final clearance to run in the Preakness.
After going off as the co-favorite at 5-2, Medina Spirit finished third in the race behind Rombauer and Midnight Bourbon, ending his bid for the Triple Crown.
]
Belmont Stakes
On May 17, 2021, Bob Baffert was banned by the New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest Thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park i ...
(NYRA) from entering Medina Spirit or any of his other horses in the 2021 Belmont Stakes
The 2021 Belmont Stakes was the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes and the 110th time the event took place at Belmont Park. The race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old ...
or any other race at Belmont Park. Baffert later sued the NYRA over his suspension and on July 14 the suspension was reversed by U. S. Federal District Court Judge Carol Bagley Amon sitting in the Eastern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (in case citations, E.D.N.Y.) is the federal district court whose territorial jurisdiction spans five counties in New York State: the four Long Island counties of Nassau, Su ...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
.
The Judge made her ruling based on the NYRA not allowing Baffert a forum to refute their claims and stated that (they the NYRA)..“had held no hearing — let alone a prompt one.”
Later Three-Year-Old Season
Medina Spirit made his next start in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack
The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...
on August 29. He got off to a good start, setting fractions of 22.52, 46.92, 1:11.81 and 1:24.33. In the end he won by lengths in front of Rock Your World in a time of 1:37.29.
Medina Spirit was entered to run in the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby
The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino (formerly known as Keystone Race Track, then from 1986 through 2010 as Philadelphia Park) each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, ...
on September 25 but was scratched from the event early on September 23 by Bob Baffert in preference for the Grade I Awesome Again Stakes
The Awesome Again Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. ...
.
As a side consequence of not flying the horse to the East Coast, Medina Spirit tackled aged horses for the first time on October 2 in the Awesome Again Stakes
The Awesome Again Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. ...
and led all the way to win comfortably in the end by 5 lengths in a time of 1:49.67 on the fast track. Trainer Baffert responded "It's just a very emotional win for me. He's a great horse and he showed it today."
Medina Spirit's final race of the year was the Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
on November 6, where he finished second behind the winner Knicks Go
Knicks Go (foaled January 29, 2016) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2021 American Horse of the Year after winning five of seven starts, including the Breeders' Cup Classic, Whitney Stakes and Pegasus World Cup. The year before h ...
.
Death
Medina Spirit collapsed and died at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...
following a five furlong workout on December 6, 2021. He was three years old. His rider was unhurt. The horse's preliminary cause of death is a heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
. Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert stated that his barn was "devastated" by the news of Medina Spirit's death, and described the horse as a "member of the family." Medina Spirit's death also came days after Baffert's attorney Craig Robertson publicly acknowledged that the betamethasone detected during the 2021 Kentucky Derby was not regulated by Kentucky state rules, but maintained that it was used to treat Medina Spirit's skin condition and not for performance enhancement. A necropsy conducted by veterinarians and forensic experts at the University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The inst ...
showed no evidence of doping, but a definitive cause of death could not be established.
Statistics
An asterisk after the odds means Medina Spirit was the post-time favorite.
† Finished first, but disqualified due to a medication violation.
Pedigree
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medina Spirit
Racehorses trained in the United States
Thoroughbred family 2-n
2018 racehorse births
2021 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in Florida
Ocala, Florida
Individual male horses
Horses who died from racing injuries