Positive drug test confirmed for Medina Spirit

Positive drug test confirmed for Medina Spirit

[NFA] A second post-race drug test for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit confirmed a prohibited substance was present, a lawyer for the horse's trainer said on Wednesday, raising the possibility the dark bay colt might be disqualified.

Freddie Joyner has more.

Medina Spirit, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, could now face disqualification after a second post-race drug test confirmed that a prohibited substance was present in the horse’s body.

The disqualification, if implemented, would be only the second in the 147-year history of the Kentucky Derby due to a failed drug test.

Last month, Medina Spirit's initial sample after the May 1st race at Churchill Downs tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone, over the legal limit in Kentucky racing.

Famed horse trainer Bob Baffert then came out and denied ever giving the drug to his horse.

BAFFERT ON MAY 9: "Medina Spirit has never been treated with betamethasone." But Baffert later said that an anti-fungal ointment to treat dermatitis could have been the source of Medina Spirit's positive test.

Churchill Downs told Reuters in an email that it is awaiting official notification of the split sample test results from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

The racetrack said at the time that if a second round of testing showed the presence of betamethasone, that the Bob Baffert-trained dark bay colt would be disqualified and runner-up Mandaloun would be declared the winner.