Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit might have failed a drug test due to steroids present in a topical anti-fungal ointment the horse was treated with prior to the May 1 race, according to trainer Bob Baffert.
Medina Spirit was given the medication, which contained the steroid betamethasone, for dermatitis once a day, Baffert said through his attorney Craig Robertson. The prize-winning colt tested positive Sunday for 21 picograms of betamethasone, prompting Churchill Downs executives to suspend Baffert, whose past skills landed him in the hall of fame.
“My investigation is continuing, and we do not know for sure if this ointment was the cause of the test results, or if the test results are even accurate, as they have yet to be confirmed by the split sample,” Baffert said, according to the Associated Press. “I have been told that a finding of a small amount, such as 21 picograms, could be consistent with application of this type of ointment.”
WHAT HAPPENS TO KENTUCKY DERBY BETS PLACED ON MEDINA SPIRIT FOLLOWING POSITIVE DRUG TEST?
Medina Spirit’s positive test does not immediately nullify the horse’s victory, nor does it bar him from competing in future races for the time being. A final decision on the matter will be released after Churchill Downs collects another sample.
Preakness Horse Racing
Baffert, who on Sunday didn’t know the origin of the steroids, said the accusations were a “gut punch.”
“Yesterday, I got the biggest gut punch in racing for something I didn’t do. It’s disturbing. It’s an injustice for the horse,” Baffert said.
The racing organization defended its choice to suspend Baffert indefinitely over the test results.
“Failure to comply with the rules and medication protocols jeopardizes the safety of the horses and jockeys, the integrity of our sport and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby and all who participate. Churchill Downs will not tolerate it,” the group said in a statement. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We will await the conclusion of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commissions’ investigation before taking further steps.”
Medina Spirit is set to compete in the Preakness on Saturday, though authorities in charge of the race are still in the process of reviewing the horse’s entry, Robertson said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby on May 1, and if he is disqualified, runner-up Mandaloun would be declared the winner. The last horse to be removed from competition for a positive drug test was Dancer’s Image in 1968.
“Medina Spirit earned his Kentucky Derby win, and my pharmacologists have told me that 21 picograms of betamethasone would have had no effect on the outcome of the race,” Baffert said. “Medina Spirit is a deserved champion, and I will continue to fight for him.”
