Horse racing world stunned as Kentucky Derby winner fails test, Baffert suspended

Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner, tested positive for betamethasone. The drug is not banned, but there are limits. Bob Baffert, trainer of Medina Spirit has been suspended from entering any horses at Churchill Downs. Bafert has trained seven Kentucky Derbies winners and two Triple Crown champions. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2009. If the results of the investigation are upheld, MedinaSpirit will be disqualified and second-place competitor Mandaloun declared the winner.

Medina Spirit failed a drug test and is disqualified from the Kentucky Derby. It is the third time in 147-race history that a horse has been disqualified. Dancer’s Image was disqualified in 1968 for testing positive for phenylbutazone. Maximum Security was also disqualified after it was determined that he had interfered with other horses in the stretch.

Baffert has had 30 horses test positive for banned substances. Some of those have been overturned. Justify tested positive after the Santa Anita Derby for scopolamine. Gamine and Charlatan tested for lidocaine last year. Baffer blamed those positive tests on a patch worn by a member of his training staff.

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, betting on Mandaloun is unlikely to be possible if Medina Spirit is disqualified. The betting results are final regardless of what happens later.