While it remains possible that Medina Spirit may no longer be the winner of the Kentucky Derby, one thing has been made official: Bob Baffert has been suspended for two years.
On Wednesday, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced that it was suspending Baffert and "any trainer directly or indirectly employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables from entering horses in races or applying for stall occupancy at all CDI-owned racetracks."
Medina Spirit had tested positive for a banned substance shortly after the Derby took place, but the decision was appealed. As a result, the colt's sample was re-tested in a lab chosen by Baffert. Once again, it was positive for betamethasone, a steroid that is used to reduce inflammation.
In the press release from Churchill Downs Incorporated, CEO Bill Carstanjen said that it advocates for strict medication regulations to make sure races are done fairly, and that "reckless practices and substance violations that jeopardize" the horse's or jockey's safety or "compromise the integrity of our sport are not acceptable."
"As a company we must take measures to demonstrate that they will not be tolerated," Carstanjen said in the statement. "Mr. Baffert’s record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby. Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility.”
The release said that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has the decision on whether to disqualify Medina Spirit, and that it is looking to complete its investigation on whether to make this decision.
Why this matters: Medina Spirit now faces disqualification from the Kentucky Derby as a result of this positive test.
- If Baffert's horse is disqualified, Mandaloun, the initial runner-up in the race, would be declared the winner.
- The last time that a winning horse was disqualified from the Derby because of a positive drug test was Dancer's Image in 1968.
- It's the second time in the past three years that the Derby's winning horse has been disqualified. Maximum Security was disqualified in 2019 for dangerously impeding the path of other horses, leading Country House to the win as a longshot.
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What they're saying: Clark Brewster, a lawyer who represents Medina Spirit’s owner, hopes that the intent of the potential contamination, which Baffert previously said came from an anti-fungal cream applied to the horse, is considered when discussing potential punishment for the horse.
- “If it was inadvertent contamination, that should be taken into account. We’re hopeful that reasonable minds and good-intentioned regulators can see what it is, and what it is not, and not have a draconian response.”
- "I'm not a conspiracy (theorist) — I know everybody's not out to get me. But there's definitely something wrong. Why is it happening, you know, to me?" Baffert said. "There's problems in racing, but it's not Bob Baffert."
What comes next: An official ruling on Medina Spirit's status as it relates to the 2021 Kentucky Derby should be incoming soon.
- Baffert has been suspended for two years from racing in any event hosted by Churchill Downs. In addition, the CDI can also extend his suspension if there are any more violations.