Kentucky Derby Winner May Be Disqualified For Doping

May 9, 2021 News, Sports

The New York Times reports:

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test, once more putting the practices of his Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert under uncomfortable scrutiny.

The colt cannot be disqualified until a split sample confirms the result. Baffert will then have an opportunity to appeal. If disqualified, Medina Spirit would be stripped of the Derby title and the winning purse.

Baffert has gained the enmity of rivals who believe that he has persistently cheated, suspicions fueled by 30 drug tests failed by his horses over four decades, including five in a little more than a year.

The Wall Street Journal reports:

“It is our understanding that Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s post-race blood sample indicated a violation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s equine medication protocols. The connections of Medina Spirit have the right to request a test of a split sample and we understand they intend to do so. To be clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the winner,” Churchill Downs said in a statement.

Yahoo Sports reports:



Baffert continually claimed during the news conference that no one on his team gave Medina Spirit the drug. He said that he’ll be fighting the test and will be sending Medina Spirit to the Preakness, which is being run in less than a week.

However, Baffert heavily implied that he believes he’s being set up or targeted — by who or what he wouldn’t say. Medina Spirit is the only horse that ran the Derby to test positive, which he implied was suspicious.

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