Tuesday, December 7th, 2021
Suspicious coach Baffert mourns
Successful stallion dies near the finish line
In May, Medina Spirit wins the famous Kentucky Derby. Shortly afterwards, a positive doping test is found. Among other things, this leads to a long suspension for Bob Baffert, his trainer. Now the 3 year old stallion has collapsed dead. The cause of death is still unclear.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit passed away on Monday at Santa Anita Racecourse in Southern California. The 3 year old stallion collapsed near the finish line shortly after a training run. He “died suddenly of a probable heart attack, as the veterinary team who looked after him on site found,” said the racecourse on its website.
Medina Spirit had just finished his morning workout and was still in the finish area when he collapsed and died instantly, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) told CNN. The racetrack stated that the exact circumstances of the death are still under investigation.
After winning the Kentucky Derby, which Medina Spirit won by half a length, he tested positive for doping. Bethamethason, an anti-inflammatory steroid that can be administered no later than 14 days before a competition, has been detected in the stallion. After that it is considered a doping agent. His trainer Bob Baffert first denied having given the stallion the drug. He later revised his statement. He said an ointment could have caused the positive test.
29 doping cases in Baffert horses
Baffert received a two-year ban on running horses on the track from Churchill Downs Racecourse, the venue of the Kentucky Derby. Only in the Kentucky Derby 2024 could horses of the 68-year-old start again. The New York Racing Association also banned it from running on the Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct racetracks. The investigations into the doping case Medina Spirit are still ongoing. Should the racecourse stick to its verdict, victory would be awarded to the runner-up horse Mandaloun.
Controversial trainer Baffert also confirmed the stallion’s death. “My entire stable is shaken. Medina Spirit was a great champion, part of our family. One who was loved by everyone and we all mourn this loss,” said the coach.
Baffert has been facing severe criticism for some time. At least 74 Baffert-trained horses have died since 2000, the highest rate of any US trainer per 1,000 starts, according to a Washington Post report last summer. In 29 cases, his horses became known to have doped offenses, but the previous fine for Baffert is said to be only US $ 20,000. In contrast, there are winnings of 321 million US dollars.
Medina Spirit alone earned over 3.5 million US dollars in its ten launches. The stallion was owned by the Saudi Arabian racing team Zedan Racing Stables.