On February 21st, news broke that 2021’s Kentucky Derby champion was being disqualified and stripped of his title. Medina Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Zedan Racing Stables Inc, was later found to have traces of betamethasone in his system.
Though the substance, which is an anti-inflammatory steroid, isn’t illegal in Kentucky, the discovery was enough to bar Medina Spirit from his first-place finish. Unfortunately, the news came after Medina Spirit’s sudden death from a heart attack in late 2021.
Baffert continues to insist that the betamethasone was used for a skin condition, rather than to enhance the horse’s speed or strength. Medina Spirit was a 12-1 underdog at the time of the race, who went on to nab a second place at the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic and third at the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
For now, the late disqualification has a variety of implications for Baffert, Zedan Racing Stables, and a few others. Though cases like Medina Spirit’s eventual title-stripping intrigue the public, most major events see a few competitor bans before, during, and after the race has concluded.
Disqualifications around the board
As with Medina Spirit, most disqualifications based on toxicology reports can’t be chalked up to outright cheating. After all, stable owners and trainers want to compete at the top level and earn their winnings. Typically, bans happen because of rule changes, loopholes, and supplementary medications like Medina Spirit’s betamethasone.
Last year, a winner from the Cheltenham Festival was disqualified after the race for having traces of arsenic. The horse, Hell’s Kitchen, placed fourth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2019. For reference, Hell’s Kitchen had only 7ng/ml of arsenic over the legal limit.
But for major events like Cheltenham, the rules are stringent. Unlike the Triple Crown races and steeplechase events like the Grand National, Cheltenham Festival includes a wider range of competition types. There are more visitors, punters, and competitors than most other major events.
Some of the most popular include the hurdle races, handicap chases for novices, and the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup. In fact, markets on the horseraces are offered months in advance, including Unibet Cheltenham odds and insider tip sheets.
A Big Hit for Bob Baffert
Those who follow thoroughbred horseracing in the US likely know of Medina Spirit’s trainer, Bob Baffert. He’s one of the most successful and prolific horse trainers, responsible for training six Kentucky Derby, seven Preakness Stakes, and three Belmont Stakes champions. He’s also the trainer of the last two Triple Crown recipients: American Pharaoh in 2015 and Justifies in 2018.
But Baffert isn’t a stranger to failed drug tests. Over the course of his career, he’s been responsible for over 30 failed screenings. These violations seem to become quicker and quicker; in the last year, he’s been hit with five failed tests.
In response, Churchill Downs (where the Kentucky Derby is hosted) banned Baffert from competing until the end of Spring 2023. Though Baffert continues to fight the ban and denies any wrongdoing in the case of Medina Spirit, investigative bodies are looking into his lengthy career for any other signs of wrongdoing.
A late win for Mandaloun
While Baffert and the company are still reeling from the ban and disqualification, others are elated by the news. Mandaloun, owned by Juddmonte and trained by Brad Cox, inherited the first-place finish following Medina Spirit’s disqualification. In 2021, Mandaloun also took home the Pegasus Stakes and Risen Star Stakes.
Churchill Downs plans on setting a date to celebrate the new champion of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Currently, Mandaloun is entering his fourth year of racing and he recently took first at the Louisiana Stakes. As a four-year-old, he won’t be eligible to compete for the Triple Crown, which makes the late nod from Churchill Downs even more meaningful
