Medina Spirit, the famous yet controversial horse who died back in December has been officially stripped of the 2021 Kentucky Derby crown. The late thoroughbreds trainer, Bob Baffert, will be fined and suspended from any race in the state of Kentucky for 90 days.
The decision, which was handed down by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Monday, marks the second time in three years that the first horse to cross the finish line has been stripped of its title.
The ruling stems from an investigation that was launched a few days after the derby when test results found that Medina Spirit had tested positive for 21 picograms of the steroid betamethasone, double the legal threshold in Kentucky racing. The horse died that same year in December while working out at Santa Anita Park in California. According to the autopsy, there was no definitive cause of death.
Baffert claims the drugs came from an ointment used to treat a skin condition and that there were no injections done. According to his attorney, the drugs were administered by the veterinarian at their direction.
The investigation has also sparked a lot of conversation around Baffert, his practices and the sport itself.
With Medina Spirit losing his crown, Mandaloun has been awarded the winner of the 2021 derby.
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As for Baffert, the legendary trainer was issued a fine of $7,500 and will be denied entry at any Kentucky Horse Racing Commission facilities. The disgraced trainer will also be denied entry of any horses that are owned or trained by him in the state for the next 90 days.
Medina Spirt's team will also have to return the $1.86 million prize money that was split between Baffert, the owner, and the rest of the staff that was responsible for taking care of the prize throughbreed.
Here is what the 69-year-old trainer had to say about the ruling via a statement released through his lawyer Clark O. Brewster.
"We are disappointed by the Commission’s ruling, but not surprised. This ruling represents an egregious departure from both the facts and the law, but the numerous public statements by KHRC officials over the last several months have made perfectly clear that Bob Baffert’s fate was decided before we ever sat down for a hearing before the three stewards, one of whom is directly employed by Churchill Downs as the racing director at Turfway Park. We will appeal, and we will prevail when the facts and rules are presented to detached, neutral decisionmakers."
In addition to Monday's ruling, Baffert was already suspended from the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies and has been banned by the New York Racing Association.
Follow Jasper Jones on Twitter: @jonesj2342
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