Medina Spirit, 2021 Kentucky Derby winner that failed drug test, has died.
Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby-winning horse that failed a drug test following the race, died Monday morning following a workout.
The horse, trained by Bob Baffert, crossed the finish line first during the May 1, 2021 race, but ended up testing positive for a steroid not long after.
Baffert had said an ointment used to treat the colt for a skin condition daily up until the Derby included the substance Betamethasone, which is legal, but it is not allowed on race day in Kentucky, Maryland and New York.
On Monday, a source close to Baffert confirmed the horse died while training in Santa Anita Park in California.
The source said the horse possibly died of a heart attack. Santa Anita spokesman Mike Willman confirmed the colt’s death to the Associated Press.
Medina Spirit Cause of Death
No further details were immediately available about the death. The colt will undergo a full necropsy, which is required by the California Horse Racing Board.
Since the test, the horse’s status as 2021 winner has been in limbo, but remains intact.
It was the 7th Kentucky Derby win for Baffert, and a new record.
In the wake of Medina Spirit’s failed test, Baffert was suspended by Churchill Downs and barred from entering horses in the 2023 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies.
The source said the horse possibly died of a heart attack
He also was banned by the New York Racing Association from entering horses at its Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct tracks.
Just days ago, Baffert’s attorney said a lab in New York confirmed the drugs game from an ointment used to treat a skin condition, and not in an injection.
Whether that distinction would matter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is unclear.
Medina Spirit had five wins in 10 career starts and earnings of $3,545,200, according to Equibase.
The 3-year-old colt was owned by Amr Zedan, who competes as Zedan Racing Stables.