What Horse Died Today 2021? (Solved)

Medina Spirit, the horse that finished first in the 2021 Derby but failed a drug test after the race, died after suffering a heart attack. A previous version of this article incorrectly said Medina Spirit was the 72nd equine fatality at five California tracks this year. He was the 71st. This article has been corrected.

• Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, collapsed and died after a workout at Santa Anita Park on Monday morning. The California Horse Racing Board’s Equine Medical Director Jeff Blea confirmed the 3-year-old horse’s passing and said that he ordered a comprehensive autopsy be done to determine the cause of death.

What race horse just died?

Medina Spirit’s was the 71st death in California in 2021, according to the California Horse Racing Board.

How did Medina spirit die?

Medina Spirit, winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, died on Dec. 6 after completing a five-furlong workout at Santa Anita. The fatality was initially categorized as a “sudden death,” which is often associated with cardiac events.

What Kentucky Derby horse just passed away?

Medina Spirit, the disputed winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby, died Monday of a heart attack after a workout at Santa Anita Park, trainer Bob Baffert said. “My entire barn is devastated by this news,” Baffert wrote in an email.

What famous horse died today?

Kentucky Derby winning horse dies after workout routine Medina Spirit, who failed a drug test after he won the Kentucky Derby this year, died during a workout Monday morning in California. The horse collapsed in training at Santa Anita and suffered an apparent heart attack, his trainer, Bob Baffert, said.

Who was riding Medina Spirit when he died?

The California Horse Racing Board’s Equine Medical Director Jeff Blea confirmed the 3-year-old horse’s passing and said that he ordered a comprehensive autopsy be done to determine the cause of death. According to reports, jockey Juan Ochoa was riding Medina Spirit when the horse collapsed.

What happens to dead racehorses?

Thousands of racehorses are being sent to slaughterhouses in Britain and Ireland, a BBC Panorama investigation has found. Some of the slaughtered animals were once owned and trained by some of the biggest names in racing.

How many races did Seabiscuit win?

Seabiscuit ran forty-seven times and won nine races for his breeder: His winnings and sale price brought Phipps $26,965.

Where is War Admiral buried?

War Admiral, Man o’ War, and Brushup, War Admiral’s dam, are all buried at the Kentucky Horse Park, at the Man o’ War Memorial, for guests to visit and pay their respects, perhaps while in town for the week’s Kentucky Derby festivities. Please join us in honoring this great American Thoroughbred! www.KyHorsePark.com.

Who owns the horse Medina Spirit?

Owner Amr Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert both stated the 3-year-old died of a heart attack at Santa Anita in California, though local veterinary experts caution against speculation until a necropsy is complete to determine the exact cause of death.

Where Will Medina Spirit be buried?

Clark Brewster, an attorney representing Medina Spirit’s owners, said the horse will be buried in Kentucky. According to an article in the Pasadena Star-News, Media Spirit is the 20th horse to die at Santa Anita in 2021.

What drug did Medina Spirit test positive for?

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is facing disqualification after testing on a second postrace sample confirmed the presence of the the steroid betamethasone, lawyers who represent the horse’s owner and trainer Bob Baffert said.

Medina Spirit, disputed Derby winner dragged down by positive drug test, dies after workout

‘Medina Spirit was a wonderful champion, and a part of our family who was loved by many,’ Baffert said in a statement. “We are extremely saddened by his passing,” Baffert said. “I shall always treasure the proud and intimate recollections I have of Medina Spirit and his wonderful spirit,” says the author. It was announced in a statement by Santa Anita Parks that Medina Spirit, which is owned by Saudi Arabian billionaire Amr Zedan, “died unexpectedly of a likely cardiac episode, according to the on-site veterinarian staff who responded to him.” According to the statement, samples of the horse’s blood, hair, and urine were forwarded to the California Horse Racing Board, and a thorough necropsy is scheduled to be performed.

GAIL RICE, the horse breeder featured in Medina Spirit’s implausible story, was about to turn around after giving a tour of her family’s 10-acre farm to a horse owner from Switzerland seeking advice —the very kind of aspect Medina Spirit had added to her life — when her daughter called with the shocking news.

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Zedan called me on Monday afternoon, and we had a nice conversation.” she added.

1. It’s the same as if you were talking to a family member.” She claimed to have known Medina Spirit since “before he was able to breathe.” That is the way things are.
2. He has raced four times since his wire-to-wire triumph by half a length at the 147th Kentucky Derby, finishing third in the Preakness Stakes on his fourth start.
3. Baffert is the owner of the horse.
4. Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner, tested positive for a dosage of an anti-inflammatory medicine that above the allowed quantity, according to trainer Bob Baffert, who announced the result on May 9.
5. The trucks, which were transporting bales of hay and other horse-related vehicles, passed through a security checkpoint.

It had already been reported that the disputed Kentucky Derby winner, who was still deciding at the time, had been registered as the 71st horse fatality of 2021 at five California racetracks, following a “non-musculoskeletal abrupt death.” Following Swaledied suddenly unexpectedly after a training on June 17, 1984, eight days after winning the Belmont Stakes, Medina Spirit became the youngest first-place Derby finisher to die since the race’s inception.

• A severe injury sustained near the start of the 2006 Preakness resulted in Barbaro’s death in January 2007, eight months after he won the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
• Medina Spirit, who was born on April 5, 2018, has the type of quiet beginnings that lend themselves to profuse mythology, particularly at the Derby.
• His horse, Mongolian Changa, was unable to produce milk, but Rice was aware of this and had stored some milk in a freezer.
• While still a 2-year-old, he was sold for a still-humble $35,000 to Zedan, who was left speechless on Derby day.
• Churchill Downs has suspended Baffert and barred him from competing in the Kentucky Derby in the years 2022 and 2023, according to the company.
• According to Kentucky statutes, betamethasone was one of 97 medications classified in Class C last May, out of more than 850 pharmaceuticals categorised in the state.
• Treatment for racehorses is permissible, but the system must be cleared by a specific time period before to competing in the race.
• Craig Robertson III of Lexington, Ky., data from a New York laboratory supported Baffert’s allegation that Medina Spirit received the medicine by ointment rather than injection.

It is yet uncertain whether or not this divergence will be significant. Garcia-Roberts contributed reporting from Los Angeles, California. The information in this story has been updated. More information about horse racing may be found at:

Medina Spirit, 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, dies at Santa Anita Park following workout

USATSI A training at Santa Anita Park on Monday ended in the fall and death of Medina Spirit, the disputed winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2021. Medina Spirit’s death was confirmed by the California Horse Racing Board’s Equine medical director, Jeff Blea. “I spoke with the attending veterinarian, and by the time they got to him on the track, he had already passed away,” Dr. Bleas said in a written statement. The incident occurred after the wire, although I’m not sure where on the track it occurred.

1. UC Davis in San Bernardino will do a complete and extensive necropsy on him.
2. In order to try to determine the cause of death, we shall examine closely at the heart.” According to The Daily Racing Form, Medina Spirit, a three-year-old colt, did not die as a result of complications from any type of leg injury, as previously reported.
3. Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby was overshadowed by controversy since the colt tested positive for betamethasone after the race, which was discovered after the race.
4. Since winning the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit had competed in four other races in total.
5. Medina Spirit finished first five times in his career and earned a total of $3.5 million during his career.
6. There were 42 horses who died on the racecourse at Santa Anita between December 2018 and January 2020.

Medina Spirit, 2021 Kentucky Derby Winner, Dies At Santa Anita Park

Medina Spirit, the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2021, crashed and died on Monday morning following an exercise at Santa Anita Park in California. The California Horse Racing Board’s Equine Medical Director, Jeff Blea, verified the death of the 3-year-old horse and stated that he had ordered a full autopsy to be performed in order to discover the reason of his death. It has been reported that jockey Juan Ochoa was riding Medina Spirit at the time of the incident. As of Monday afternoon, Medina Spirit’s trainer, Bob Baffert, has not issued a formal comment on the horse.

He was the son of Protonico. Medina Spirit’s victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby is still up in the air because the horse tested positive for betamethasone following the race, which is a medicine that is prohibited on race day.

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The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not made a decision on whether or not Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby victory would be invalidated, and no decision has been made. Medina Spirit isn’t the first horse to die at Santa Anita, nor is he the most recent. Continue to Fight An injury sustained while racing at Santa Anita Park resulted in Ron’s euthanasia in October 2021. He was just two years old at the time of his death. Seven Summers, a 2-year-old unraced filly who was injured during training and killed at Santa Anita, died just two days after Seven Summers.

After sustaining an injury to his left front leg, Ebeko, a 2-year-old colt, was killed at Santa Anita Park on the first day of the racing season in December 2020.

Medina Spirit, who failed drug test after winning 2021 Kentucky Derby, dies during workout

Medina Spirit, who had failed a drug test after winning the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, died during a workout in California on Monday morning. He was three years old. The horse collapsed during training at Santa Anita and appeared to have suffered a heart attack, according to his trainer, Bob Baffert. The death of the 3-year-old colt devastated Baffert and his “entire barn,” according to him. ‘Medina Spirit was a wonderful champion, and a part of our family who was loved by many,’ Baffert said in a statement.

1. “Medina Spirit and his incredible spirit will remain in my heart for the rest of my life, and I will cherish them forever.
2. Amr Zedan and the entire Zedan Racing Stables family during this difficult time.” During a training session in preparation for the Preakness Stakes, which will take place at Pimlico Race Course on May 11, 2021, in Baltimore, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is bathed.
3. According to the board of directors, he died instantly.
4. A betamethasone test was performed after the Kentucky Derby on May 1 and the horse tested positive.
5. After a split urine test revealed that Medina Spirit had been drugged, Baffert denied the allegations, claiming that the drug was in the horse’s system as a result of a topical ointment.
6. In June, Baffert was barred from the Churchill Downs racetrack for a period of two years.
7. Because the investigation was still ongoing at the time of the horse’s death, the horse was not officially disqualified.
8. Following the deaths of 29 horses at the racetrack in 2018 and 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered an independent investigation.
9. Necropsy reports revealed that many of the horses who died at Santa Anita were suffering from pre-existing conditions, prompting the board to recommend a series of changes.
10. THE CHANGE WAS MADE ON DECEMBER 6, 2021, AT 9:25 P.M.

ET: Previously published versions of this article misspelled the first name of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He goes by the name of Gavin Newsom, not Gavon. Doha Madani is an NBC News breaking news reporter who covers the New York City area. She/her are the pronouns.

Medina Spirit, Kentucky Derby 2021 Winner, Dies After Workout At Santa Anita Park

Medina Spirit (May 15, 2021)Application Program When Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby in 2021, it sparked controversy when it was subsequently discovered that he had tested positive for corticosteroids. Medina Spirit died today after falling at Santa Anita Park in California after collapsing during a track training, according to his trainer. According to the Paulick Report, a horseracing news magazine, Medina Spirit fell during a five-furlong workout and died as a result of a heart attack, which is believed to be the preliminary cause of death.

• The story was validated by Jeff Blea, the Equine Medical Director for the California Horse Racing Board, who corroborated the report.
• The death was verified by a counsel for Medina Spirit trainer Bob Baffert, according to the Associated Press.
• In the absence of a scheduled disqualification hearing, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not yet taken the necessary action.
• Since 2018, the facility has been under examination due to an alarming number of horses dying while racing or training at the facility.
• Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts to ensure that your inbox is always full.

In Memoriam: Horse Racing Lost Some Greats in 2021

Richard Rosenblatt contributed to this article. During the year 2021, the thoroughbred racing industry suffered an excessive number of champions, the most recent of which being the collapse and death of Kentucky Derby(G1) winnerMedina Spiriton December 6. After getting hit by a car nearChurchill Downs, where he was considered one of the track’s best riders, popular jockeyMiguel Menadied just two months prior to the incident at the track. Mena was 34 years old at the time. Horse Racing – Photo from the United States of America We also lost sportscastersBob Neumeier and Marshall Cassidy, who was a former voice of New York racing in the 1980s, as well as innovative breeders/ownersB.

Shadwell Racing, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, and Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, were both significant breeders/owners in the international racing community (Juddmonte Farms).

OWENDALE – Courtesy of Churchill Downs Racing and Gaming Among the horses who died at an early age was a 3-year-old filly.

Big Drama (15), English Channel (19), Boston Harbor (27), Caressing (23), Elmhurst (31) and Gilded Time (32) were among the Kentucky Derby winners who died (31).

We also lost jockeysLarry Melancon(65) and Todd Kabel(55); trainersBruce Headley(86); Harry Benson(88); Julio Canani(83); John Forbes(73); and John T. Ward, Jr.

Medina Spirit

Bob Baffert, Medina Spirit, and Churchill Downs- Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs The death of Medina Spirit came as a complete surprise. After winning the Derby on May 1, he became a racing superstar, being the seventh winner in the Run for the Roses for Hall of Fame trainerBob Bafferta’s record-setting streak. Medina Spiritcould be disqualified awaiting a final judgment by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which might come as soon as next week if the 3-year-old colt’s post-race drug test revealed that he had taken a prohibited race-day medicine.

After that, he slumped and died, the reason of his death being determined to be a “heart attack.” The results of the necropsy have not yet been released.

“My entire barn is devastated by this news,”Baffertsaid. “Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all, and we are deeply mourning his loss. I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit.”

Mena died on October 31 after he was hit by a car while walking along Interstate 64 near Louisville. As reported by the Jefferson County Coroners Office, blunt force injuries were the cause of death, which was found to be an accident. Mena, who was born in Lima, Peru, began riding motorcycles in the United States in 2003. He won 2,079 races, many of which took place atChurchill Downs, and his horses amassed more than $72 million in prize money. Among his victories were Pool Play in the 2011 Stephen Foster (G1), Champagne d’Oro in the 2010 Test Stakes (G1), International Star and Bravazo in the 2015 and 2018 Risen Star Stakes (G2), and Bravazo in the 2018 Risen Star Stakes (G2).

“He was a guy everyone liked,” said Jose Santos, Jr., who was Mena’s agent at times over his career. “He was one of the most liked guys on the track, I’d say. Everyone felt really strongly about him because he had a hell of a personality. Whether you were riding him or not, he was a guy you could sit and talk to for a long time. He was just a good person. Real sad stuff, that’s for sure.”

“He was an inspiration to many as he courageously overcame significant injuries to return to riding,” said Terry Meyocks, president and CEO of the Jockeys’ Guild. “He was an inspiration to many as he courageously overcame serious injuries to return to riding.” “He will be deeply missed by his fellow riders, his friends, and his family,” says the statement.

Bert Firestone

Genuine Risk, the filly that won the 1980 Kentucky Derby under the guidance of trainer Bert Firestone, died on July 12 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 89 years old. Firestone and his wife, Diana, had breeding enterprises in Virginia and Ireland, where they raised horses. During the 1970s and 1980s, the pair was the proud owners of numerous worldwide winners, including Blue Wind and April Run. Between 1989 and 1991, Firestone also controlled Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park. Barbara D.

It was Genuine Risk that propelled them to the top of the racing world.

Genuine Risk finished in second place in both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Other Eclipse Award winners came from the Firestone family, including Honest Pleasure, who won the 2-year-old colt championship in 1975, and What a Summer, who won the sprint championship in 1977.

Theatrical (trained by Bill Mott) was another horse that he owned and was a six-time Grade 1 winner and 1987 Eclipse champion grass horse.

“I had a private job with them for about five years, and I could not have been treated any better,” Mott said. “They were the ones who got me to New York full-time. They gave me a huge opportunity, and they sent Theatrical to me. He did more for my career than any other single horse.”

Rick Porter is an American actor and director who is most known for his role in the film The Great Gatsby. On June 7, Rick Porter passed away after a long battle with illness. He was one of the most recognized and successful racing owners in the industry. He was 80 years old. Porter, who has trained three Eclipse Award winners (Kodiak Kowboy, a sprinter who won in 2009; Songbird, a 2-year-old filly who won in 2015 and a 3-year-old filly who won in 2016; and Havre de Grace, a mare who won in 2011 and was named Horse of the Year), began racing in 1994.

A good example of this was the two-year run of Songbird from the middle of 2015 till the middle of 2017.

Her defeats were in the 2016 BC Distaff, when she finished second by a nose to Beholder, and in her last start, the 2017 Personal Ensign, where she finished second by a neck to Forever Unbridled (G1).

She finished second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby but was wounded on the run out and had to be killed.

Trainer Larry Jones, who began working for Porter in 2006, said: “We lost a gem in horse racing. He treated horse racing like a business, but he also treated it like a love affair. He’s going to be sorely missed.”

Round Pond, the winner of the 2006 BC Distaff, and Hard Spun, the runner-up in the 2007 Derby, were among the horses owned by Porter. The next year, Porter sold his stars for a total of $10 million: Havre de Grace sold for $9.5 million, Songbird sold for $9.5 million, and Round Pond sold for 5.75 million. courtesy of Benoit Photo Wayne Hughes and rider Victor Espinoza pose for a photograph.

Wayne Hughes

Phyllis Hughes, the millionaire owner of Lexington, Kentucky’s Spendthrift Farm, passed away at her home on August 18. Having bought Spendthrift in 2004, Hughes, a co-founder of Public Storage, relocated the farm from its previous location in southern California and brought it back to prominence. In 2020, he was able to celebrate his first Kentucky Derby victory with Authentic, who was co-owned by Spendthrift Farm. Hughes teamed with an internet ownership company called Myracehorse.com only a year ago, offering anybody who paid $206 a micro share ownership stake in Authentic.

As well as six Breeders’ Cup winners, including three-time winner and champion Beholder (2020 Juvenile Fillies, 2013 BC Distaff, and 2016 BC Distaff), Spendthrift also owns stallions Authentic and Cloud Computing, as well as leading North American sire Into Mischief.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The late Sheikh Hamdan, the former Finance Minister and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, who founded the worldwide successful Shadwell Stables, passed away on March 24, 2018. He was 75 years old. When he established Shadwell Racing in England in the 1980s, he quickly rose to prominence as a breeder and owner. Over the course of his career, Shadwell has delivered more than 50 Group 1 victories in Europe, as well as three Breeders’ Cup victories. Nashwan, Dayjur, and Battaash were among the champions who fought for him.

He also won the Dubai World Cup (G2) twice, with Almutawakal in 1999 and Invasor in 2007. Sheikh Hamdan had eight stud farms in England, Kentucky, and Ireland, which he inherited from his father.

Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud

Earlier this month, Prince Khalid, a member of the Saudi royal family who was instrumental in developing Juddmonte Farms into one of the world’s premier racing and breeding businesses, passed away. He was 85 years old. His Juddmonte horses, which included Frankel, Arrogate, Empire Maker, and Enable, won more than 500 stakes races across the world, the vast majority of them were against homebred competition. Juddmonte produced 118 Grade 1 and Group 1 victories over his career. Arrogate, who won the Travers (G1), the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Pegasus World Cup (G1), and the Dubai World Cup (G1), was perhaps his finest horse to run in the United States.

Arrogate passed away in 2020 at the age of seven.

Seven Breeders’ Cup triumphs were brought home by his horses.

Juddmonte also has four Eclipse Awards for outstanding owner and five Eclipse Awards for outstanding breeder to its credit.

Bob Neumeier

He died on October 23 after a long and illustrious career that included reporting on horse racing for NBC. “Neumy” was suffering from congestive heart failure as well as heart disease at the time. He was seventy-five years old.

“Bob was a big part of the NBCBreeders’ CupWorld Championships broadcasts for many years as ahandicapper, reporter, and analyst,’’ theBreeders’ Cupsaid in a statement. “Bob brought his expertise of thoroughbred racing and a great sense of humor to every show.”

Neumeier worked as a broadcaster for hockey games and as the host of various sports radio shows in Boston. He also assisted with television coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, football, and the Tour de France, among other things.

Marshall Cassidy

Tod Marks provided the photograph of Marshall Cassidy. Cassidy died at his home in Saratoga Springs, New York, on December 22, 2011. He was 75 years old. From 1979 through 1990, he worked as a track announcer for the New York Racing Association (NYRA). “New York’s Eeeeeasy Goer. in front,” he said during the stretch call of the 1979Belmont Stakes, when Easy Goer piled up the Triple Crown bid of the California-based Sunday Silence.

“Marshall had a voice that belonged in the Hall of Fame,” Tom Durkin, who took over for Cassidy in 1990 and retired in 2014, said. “He had a resonant baritone, and his timbre was perfect. In terms of New York announcers – and this is the highest praise – he was on an even par with Fred Capossela. The most important thing for a racetrack announcer to be is accurate. And for that, Marshall was peerless.”

In addition, horses are tragically wounded on racetracks every year, as we’ve already said. According to horseracingwrongs.org, approximately 600 racehorses died in 2021 as a result of injuries, illnesses, or accidents sustained while racing, training, or resting in their stall. As a result of his award-winning horse racing pieces and his stories from the backstretch while working for The Associated Press, Rich Rosenblatt became a household figure among legions of horse racing fans and industry insiders during the course of his career at The Associated Press.

His writing has appeared in nearly every major magazine in the globe, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time Magazine, among other publications.

2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit dies after workout at Santa Anita

Following the Kentucky Derby victory of Medina Spirit, the specter around the horse took the most tragic turn possible on Monday when the 3-year-old colt fell and died on the track following a workout at Santa Anita. It is planned to do a necropsy, however early signs suggest that the victim had had a heart attack. In the aftermath of winning the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit and his trainer, Bob Baffert, have been at the heart of a national controversy when the horse tested positive for a medicine that is permitted in the United States but is not legal on race day.

• In order to protect its reputation, Churchill Downs has banned the Hall of Fame trainer from its track for two years.
• “At the end of the wind, he was slowing down at the wire,” said Jeff Blea, equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board.
• It is thought that these sorts of occurrences are related to the cardiovascular system, but the necropsy will reveal more.” Santa Anita senior veterinarian Laurie Bohannon gathered blood samples from the foal and urine samples from the colt in order to begin the normal necropsy procedure.
• This sort of occurrence is referred described as “sudden death,” and the necropsy performed is more extensive than that performed following a muscular-skeletal incident, which is more often referred to as a breakdown.
• “However, given the high-profile nature of the situation, it will be given top consideration.” When the event occurred, Baffert was there on the scene.
• “This news has completely saddened my whole barn,” Baffert said in a statement.
• ” I shall always treasure the proud and intimate recollections I have of Medina Spirit and his incredible spirit,” says the author.

Amr Zedan and the whole Zedan Racing Stables family during this difficult time.

As seen by his finishes behind stablemate Life Is Good in the Sham Stakes and San Felipe Stakes, he appeared to be a horse that was just a tad bit better than him.

Baffert even admitted to reporters before the Kentucky Derby that he “wasn’t the greatest horse in the race” before the race began.

Baffert staged an unscheduled news conference outside his stable at Churchill Downs a week later, claiming that he had been notified that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication.

He said that the source was an ointment that was being used to treat a dermatitis on the horse’s rear end two days after the incident.

Following that, Medina Spirit returned to finish third in the Preakness Stakes, which was the second leg of the Triple Crown.

His most recent race was a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, when he competed against older horses.

The loss of Monday’s animal will undoubtedly raise the temperature in Southern California’s horse racing industry, which had made tremendous headway in reducing fatalities at the track following the death of 37 horses at Santa Anita in 2019.

There has been just one other fatality in Baffert’s stable in the previous three years, and it was during a race or training session.

Medina Spirit was the second person to perish.

Baffert’s counsel disclosed the findings of further testing on Friday, which revealed that the horse’s urine contained betamethasone valerate, which is found only in ointments and not in injections, rather than betamethasone acetate, which is found only in injections.

They argue that the regulation only applies to injections and that this is incorrect. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) will now determine if this is the case or whether it want to strip a deceased horse of his Kentucky Derby victory.

Medina Spirit, disputed winner of 2021 Kentucky Derby, dies after workout

According to trainer Bob Baffert, Medina Spirit, who was widely regarded as the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby, died of a heart attack following a training at Santa Anita Park on Monday. “This news has crushed my whole barn,” Baffert wrote in an email to reporters. We are heartbroken by the passing of Medina Spirit, who was a tremendous champion and a beloved member of our family. He will be sorely missed.” I shall always treasure the proud and intimate recollections I have of Medina Spirit and his incredible spirit,” says the author.

Immediately following the incident, a team lead by Senior Veterinarian Dr.

The California Horse Racing Board received the samples and used them in their investigations.

The results of the necropsy and toxicological examinations will be released by the CHRC at a later date.

Medina Spirit at the Kentucky Derby

Medina Spirit and jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby on May 1 by a half-length against Mandaloun, despite being given odds of 12-1. It was Baffert’s seventh Kentucky Derby triumph, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for the most victories by a trainer in the race’s 147-year history. Medina Spirit and Baffert, on the other hand, were the focus of a debate that has not been settled to this day a week later. On May 9, Baffert said that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone at a concentration of 21 picograms.

It is used to treat a variety of conditions.

Mandaloun will be named the winner of the Kentucky Derby if the findings of Medina Spirit’s positive test are maintained, according to Churchill Downs officials.

It was Baffert’s team, lead by owner Amr Zedan, that brought a lawsuit against the KHRC in June, claiming that the betamethasone found in the horse’s blood tests came from a topical cream rather than an injection.

Bob Baffert’s Churchill Downs suspension

• In a statement released on Friday, Baffert’s attorney Craig Robertson stated that the findings of a split urine sample taken from Medina Spirit indicated that the betamethasone found in the horse’s system after winning the Kentucky Derby originated from the topical medication Otomax. The results following the Kentucky Derby were purely the consequence of the horse being treated for a skin problem with a topical ointment under the supervision of Medina Spirit’s veterinarian, according to Robertson’s statement. According to Dr. Mary Scollay, executive director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the presence of a Class C substance on race day, such as betamethasone, results in a “non-negotiable” exclusion from the competition. “The fact that it was in the horse does not diminish the fact that it was in the animal,” Scollay explained. Bob Baffert’s attorney is: Medina Spirit’s test demonstrated that betamethasone was used topically rather than injection. Baffert is now serving a two-year suspension at Churchill Downs, which will last until the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet, according to the track. This will feature the Kentucky Derby events in 2022 and 2023. Since 2000, according to a Washington Post piece published in June, at least 74 horses have died under Baffert’s care in his home state of California, a figure that exceeds the total of all but two other trainers in the state, according to a Washington Post study of statistics and public records. However, when the number of races conducted is taken into consideration, Baffert’s horses have perished at the highest rate among the ten trainers who have had the most horse deaths. Medina Spirit, a 3-year-old filly that raced for Zedan Racing Stables, finished with a 5-4-1 record in 10 lifetime races and earned $3,545,200. Horse racing: The instance of trainer Bob Baffert highlights the competing interests that exist in horse racing. Medina Spirit, a son of Protonico out of the Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa, prepared for the Kentucky Derby at Santa Anita Park with victories in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis and runner-up finishes in the Grade 3 Sham, Grade 2 San Felipe, and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. Medina Spirit is a son of Protonico out of the Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa. Following her victory in the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit finished third in the Preakness Stakes and was subsequently retired from competition for a period of three and a half months. He bounced back with victory in the Grade 1 Shared Belief at Del Mar and the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita before finishing second to Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6, capping his career. Jason Frakes can be reached at 502-582-4046 or [email protected]
• His Twitter handle is @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

Medina Spirit trainer Bob Baffert says Kentucky Derby horse died of a heart attack

Medina Spirit, the winner of the 147th Kentucky Derby, died early Monday morning, according to trainer Bob Baffert. He was five years old. When the horse slumped and died as a result of a heart attack at Santa Anita Park in California, he had just concluded a five-furlong training there. After 25 picograms of betamethasone were discovered in one milliliter of the horse’s blood, Medina Spirit was declared the winner of the Kentucky Derby earlier this year.

However, that victory is currently being challenged. Reports: Medina Spirit, the disputed Kentucky Derby winner, passed away after a training.

Bob Baffert’s statement on Medina Spirit

A statement sent by trainer Bob Baffert on Monday acknowledged the loss of Medina Spirit. It is with tremendous regret that I must inform you that Medina Spirit went away today at Santa Anita during a workout due to a heart attack. This news has wreaked havoc across my whole farm. Our hearts are broken by the passing of Medina Spirit, a brilliant champion and beloved part of our family who was cherished by everybody. Medina Spirit and his incredible spirit will be in my heart for the rest of my life, and I will treasure them forever.

Amr Zedan and the whole Zedan Racing Stables family during this difficult time.

A chronology for the Medina Spirit: From a surprising Kentucky Derby victory to a probable disqualification, it’s been a wild ride.

A sad day for horse racing

• The death of the 3-year-old child drew widespread attention on social media on Monday. I’m at a loss for words. Medina Spirit, may you rest in peace. Your bright saddle cloth and thunderous strides around Churchill Downs allowed me to photograph you as the first Kentucky Derby winner I ever had the pleasure of photographing. My heart is shattered. I’m madly in love with you, huge guy. pic.twitter.com/raBphaeWKf On December 6, 2021, Anika Miskar Photography (@seattleracing) tweeted: To contact Hayes Gardner, send an email to [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @HayesGardner.

The death of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was at least the 75th under Bob Baffert and illuminates the dark underbelly of horse racing

• Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner who was humiliated after refusing to submit to a post-race drug test, has passed away
• As a result of the horse’s death, once again the dark underbelly of thoroughbred racing has come to light. Trainers are encouraged to put the health of their horses at risk in the chase of fame and wealth.

Something is in the process of loading. Medina Spirit, the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2021 who was embroiled in controversy after failing a drug test, died on Monday at the age of seven. After collapsing during his final stretch of training at the legendary California track Santa Anita, the lightning-fast colt was taken to the hospital. The horse was just three years old when he died unexpectedly, a short time in comparison to the 25-to-30-year typical life expectancy of a contemporary domesticated horse.

• Tommy Gilligan is a sports reporter for USA TODAY Sports.
• Because he was widely known for testing positive for an illegal drug after winning horse racing’s most prestigious event, Medina Spirit’s premature death is possibly the most notorious example of a racehorse that died too young.
• Because of the death of Medina Spirit, the dark underbelly of thoroughbred racing has once again been exposed, raising issues about the morality of the sport.
• Michael Clevenger is a sports reporter for USA TODAY Sports.

Medina Spirit’s trainer has achieved incredible success — but the ethics have been murky

In 2011, Medina Spirit’s owner, Saudi Arabian investor and venture financier Amr Zedan, left the juvenile Dark Bay to the care of Bob Baffert and the Baffert Racing team. The 68-year-old is well-known in the horse racing industry as one of the most successful trainers in the sport, having amassed an impressive record of success. His professional background speaks for itself. Baffert’s horses have won a record seven Kentucky Derbys, seven Preakness Stakes, and three Belmont Stakes, according to the Kentucky Derby Association.

• Bob Baffert is a professional wrestler.
• The native of Nogales, Arizona, comes from a family with a problematic ethical past.
• And only two years after Baffert’s second Triple Crown champion, Justify, failed a drug test just weeks before winning the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the streak of failed drug tests started over again.
• Instead, the horse — and Baffert, as well — went on to win the Triple Crown, which was the greatest honor in horse racing.
• Geoff Burke of USA TODAY Sports contributed to this report.
• In spite of a long list of excuses and constantly moving goalposts, the white-haired multi-millionaire has been able to maintain his position as the sport’s undisputed leader.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Barry Irwin, the owner of 2011 Kentucky Derby champion Animal Kingdom, said, “He’ll do anything to win, and he’s got all his bases covered politically.” “And as a result, he has grown arrogant as hell.” “He’s Mr. Teflon,” says the author.

Baffert’s reign has come at a significant cost; at least 75 horses have died in his care since 2000

During training at Churchill Downs, Baffert (right) keeps an eye on everything. Bryan Woolston for Reuters The Washington Post published a bombshell report this year, revealing that Bob Baffert is one of the trainers in California who has had the highest amount of horse fatalities in the state. Only two horse trainers in the whole state have a higher number of equine deaths than Baffert, but the sport’s most famous champion has the greatest rate of fatalities per race ran than anybody else. According to Monty Roberts, a trainer who has been vocal about the need for reform in the sport for the benefit of the animals, “if anything surprised me, it was the fact that I expected more” fatalities from Baffert’s stable.

• “And he pushes the boundaries to the point where people are willing to lose their lives for the sake of his money account.” A photo of trainer Bob Baffert with Triple Crown champion American Pharoah.
• In 2013, seven of his horses inexplicably died in fast succession, raising the question of what happened.
• Thyroxine is a drug that is used to address illnesses that are uncommon, if not non-existent, in racehorses.
• Trainers, on the other hand, who want to win races and give their horses every advantage they can get have given the substance to their horses in order to aid accelerate their metabolisms.
• “I’ve been using thyroxine for about five years because I believe it helps ‘build up’ my horses,” Baffert said.
• It was announced in 2013 that Betfair Hollywood Park, the facility where seven of Baffert’s horses died within a short period of time, will close.
• Hong for the Associated Press Despite this, Baffert received no consequences for the seven unexpected horse fatalities that occurred at Hollywood Park.
• While examining one of horse racing’s most influential figures, according to reports in The Post, the veterinary officer responsible for officially clearing Baffert of any wrongdoing may have been concerned about their own job security.

Their reporters uncovered “a campaign to have the veterinary officer removed from his position, which was sponsored by a trade association that had Baffert among its directors.”

Medina Spirit’s miraculous rise and rapid downfall could finally spur Baffert’s ouster

Several years after his 2013 inquiry by the CHRB, Baffert accepted an extremely challenging challenge from Zedan, who requested him to transform a 2-year-old horse he had purchased for $35,000 into a champion. Several months after the Kentucky Derby, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde stated that the majority of horses competing in top-tier thoroughbred racing fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars for purchase. Before the 146th Preakness Stakes, Media Spirit owner Amr Zedan (center) walks behind his horse, which is named Media Spirit.

A classic underdog, he defied the odds — 12-1 going into the Derby — to win horse racing’s most famous event.

Medina Spirit had failed a post-race drug test just days after crossing the finish line a half-length ahead of Mandaloun.

Baffert, on the other hand, categorically refuted the doping claims, even going so far as to suggest that he had been set up.

Photograph by Patrick Semansky for the Associated Press Just moments after Medina Spirit tested positive for cocaine, Baffert stated, “We did not feed anything to him.” “It has never been used on him by the vet or anybody else.” This is a gut-punch for something I did not do in the first place.

• … What exactly is going on in racing right now is beyond me, but something doesn’t seem quite right.” “I’m not ashamed at all,” he continued.
• The two of us are going to conduct our own inquiry.” Baffert altered direction two days later, claiming that the positive test findings were due to an anti-fungal ointment that had been administered to Medina Spirit to treat a rash prior to the race.
• This remains the case today.
• Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Images Medina Spirit was on course to lose the Kentucky Derby, and Baffert was on the verge of losing his hold on the record for the most Kentucky Derby victories in history.

In addition, the New York Racing Association, which oversees Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, and Aqueduct Racetrack, “took emergency action in May to suspend Bob Baffert from racing or training” at its facilities, according to NYRA Senior Director of Communications Patrick McKenna, who spoke with Insider about the suspension.

• NYRA is proceeding with an independent hearing that will commence on January 24 to examine whether Mr.
• Two weeks after the Derby, the humiliated horse squandered any remaining chances he had of winning the Triple Crown by finishing third in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.
• Medina Spirit is located in Pimlico.
• “This news has crushed my whole barn,” Baffert said in an interview with The Washington Post.
• ” I shall always treasure the proud and intimate recollections I have of Medina Spirit and his incredible spirit,” says the author.
• Jamie Rhodes of USA TODAY Sports contributed to this report.

The dark underbelly of horse racing is not limited to one bad actor

What occurred to Medina Spirit is not a novel or unusual occurrence. In fact, it is rather typical. A considerable temptation for trainers to violate the rules and jeopardize the long-term health of their horses in the quest of favorable short-term outcomes exists in a sport where even a modest edge may be worth millions of dollars. Take, for example, Santa Anita, the racecourse where Medina Spirit was found dead on Monday morning. According to The Washington Post, 37 horses died while training or racing at the Arcadia, California, facility in the first three months of 2019.

Santa Anita Park is a horse racing track in Southern California.

It was also discovered by the CHRB that “a large number of trainers who worked at Santa Anita felt under pressure to race their horses despite their condition,” according to The Washington Post.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding his tragic death — and regardless of whether or not Baffert is held accountable — the rot in thoroughbred racing does not begin or end there.

Six more trainers were responsible for more than 50 equine deaths during that time period, bringing the total number of dead horses on the hands of the state’s worst offenders in California to 617.

From his stall at Pimlico, Medina Spirit (in the middle) offers a sneak glance.

Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images When a racehorse of Medina Spirit’s magnitude unexpectedly passes away at the age of three, it’s easy to concentrate all of the emphasis on identifying and punishing the bad actors who may have been at fault.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020, passed by Congress in 2020, was aimed squarely at those wider concerns.

To be sure, it’s a positive move in the right direction.

The horses, such as Medina Spirit, bear the brunt of this.