Tag: Medina Spirit

Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba, seen here during a June 25 workout at Santa Anita Park, is headed to next's week's Grade 1 Haskell Stakes. He reunited with trainer Bob Baffert last week. (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

Baffert Enjoys Reunion With Taiba, Sending Him to Haskell Stakes

Trainer Bob Baffert reunited with one of his star sophomores, Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba, this week and the reunion went so well that Baffert will send Taiba to next Saturday’s Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time. I’m happy with the […]

A NYRA three-member panel suspended Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert until the end of January. (Image: Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo)

Three-Member NYRA Panel Suspends Bob Baffert Until January

After taking two months to review its hearing report, the New York Racing Association suspended trainer Bob Baffert for 365 calendar days, effective immediately. The three-person hearing panel that reviewed Judge O. Peter Sherwood’s 50-page report from the April hearing credits Baffert with 59 days served. That came via NYRA’s […]

Taiba is attempting to be only the third horse to win the Kentucky Derby without running as a 2-year-old. Columnist and morning line author Jon White likes his chances. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Racing Veteran White Sees Plenty of Gray in this Kentucky Derby

Jon White wants you to know this Kentucky Derby prognostication stuff can get rather tricky. He once picked Point Given to win the 2001 Derby because he simply was the best horse in the field. Point Given picked the first Saturday in May that year to run the worst race […]

Embattled Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert may face a two-year ban from racing in New York if a hearing officer's ruling is upheld. (Image: Susie Raisher/NYRA)

NYRA Hearing Officer Recommends Two-Year Ban for Bob Baffert

Retired Justice O. Peter Sherwood, who presided over the January hearing pitting Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert against the New York Racing Association issued a report recommending Baffert be banned from NYRA tracks for two years. That 54-page report was issued to the media on Wednesday. In it, Sherwood […]

Medina Spirit warming up before his final race: the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. The Bob Baffert trainee died in December, nearly five months before Baffert lost a final legal appeal to stay his 90-day suspension. (Image: Anne M. Eberhardt)

Baffert’s 90-Day Suspension Starts Monday After Latest Court Setback

One of embattled trainer Bob Baffert’s last legal Hail Marys was swatted aside Friday when the Kentucky Court of Appeals denied his motion for an emergency stay of his 90-day suspension by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. According to the Thoroughbred Daily News, which first reported the story, that means […]

Bob Baffert may have to clear out his deep Santa Anita Park barn if his appeal is turned down. He suffered another legal blow Monday when his stay for a suspension was rejected. (Image: Zoe Metz Photography)

Bob Baffert’s Latest Appeal Denied by Kentucky Court

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert suffered another legal setback Monday in his bid to keep his considerable stable running when a Kentucky judge denied a stay of his 90-day suspension. The suspension, $7,500 fine, and forfeiture of Kentucky Derby winnings by Amr Zedan, the owner of the late Medina […]

Bob Baffert lost his appeal to stay his 90-day suspension imposed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. (Image: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia)

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Rejects Baffert’s Appeal for Stay

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission voted to deny trainer Bob Baffert a stay of his 90-day suspension Friday, upholding a decision made by KHRC Executive Director Marc Guilfoil. This is the latest saga in the late Medina Spirit’s post-Kentucky Derby positive test for the anti-inflammatory betamethasone, banned on race days […]

The late Medina Spirit and Bob Baffert the day after the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Baffert sued Churchill Downs this week seeking to have his ban overturned. (Image: Nellie Carlson)

Baffert Sues Churchill Downs Inc. Over Track, Derby Ban

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert filed a lawsuit against Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) Tuesday, seeking a reversal of his two year-suspension in the wake of Medina Spirit’s positive drug test for the banned-on-race-day anti-inflammatory betamethasone. The suit, which was filed in US District Court for Kentucky’s Western District, also […]

Tuesday morning, Churchill Downs' workers literally take down the sign marking Medina Spirit's 2021 Kentucky Derby victory. (Image: Coady Photography)

Mandaloun Illustrates New Sign of the Times at Churchill Downs:

Churchill Downs officials wasted little time putting cosmetic touches on what they hope is a concrete decision. On Tuesday, the track’s staff replaced Medina Spirit’s nameplate with the now-official 2021 Kentucky Derby champion: Mandaloun. The 3-year-old Kentucky Derby king is dead — literally in the late Medina Spirit’s case, and […]

Medina Spirit's half-length victory over Mandaloun in last year's Kentucky Derby was overturned Monday. Mandaloun was declared the official winner after Medina Spirit was disqualified for a drug violation. (Image: Coady Photography)

Stewards Strip Medina Spirit of 2021 Kentucky Derby Title

After nine months, numerous fits and starts and several legal challenges, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards disqualified Medina Spirit as winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The Monday decision came as a result of Medina Spirit failing a drug test for the banned-on-race day, anti-inflammatory betamethasone. Along with the ruling, […]

An extensive necropsy into what caused Medina Spirit's sudden death in December turned up inconclusive. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Necropsy Reveals No Definitive Cause of Death for Medina Spirit

An extensive necropsy performed on Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit could not determine a definitive cause of death in the late 3-year-old colt, according to a release issued by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). The CHRB’s statement said the postmortem examination of Medina Spirit, performed by five members of the […]

Messier was 15 lengths clear of his closest pursuer in a resounding Robert B. Lewis Stakes victory. Despite the record 15-length victory, the Bob Baffert horse is ineligible for Kentucky Derby points. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Derby Ineligible Messier Puts on a Record-Setting Clinic in the Lewis

He’s currently ineligible to run in the Kentucky Derby, a factor Messier remained blissfully oblivious about on Sunday, when he destroyed his four other rivals by a record 15 lengths in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The fact the Bob Baffert-trained, Canadian-bred colt couldn’t […]

Messier may not be eligible for Kentucky Derby points, but he's the one to beat in Sunday's Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Benoit Photo)

The Robert B. Lewis Points the Way to Kentucky Derby Prospects

What you saw at last year’s Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park was one of the best Kentucky Derby preps of 2021, starting with a coming-out announcement for one colt and further validation of his talent from another. The coming-out announcement in the Grade 3 1 1/16-mile route […]

Medina Spirit takes it all in Derby week last April. The late Derby champion will get a steward's hearing with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission regarding his Derby win Feb. 7. (Image: Pat McDonogh/Courier-Journal)

Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby Hearing Scheduled for Feb. 7

During his testimony in the ongoing hearing regarding his eligibility to run at New York Racing Association tracks, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Thursday that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has scheduled a Feb. 7 hearing involving Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. Baffert testified for three hours during the fourth day […]

Bob Baffert's suit to toss out a NYRA suspension hearing was thrown out Friday. His pre-suspension hearing from NYRA begins Monday. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Judge Tosses Baffert Suit Against NYRA, Suspension Hearing Forthcoming

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s lawsuit against the New York Racing Association was dismissed Friday, clearing the way for his pre-suspension hearing from the organization to go forward. Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York threw out Baffert’s attempt to […]

The 51st Eclipse Awards winners will be announced Feb. 10. Sixteen of the 17 finalist categories were announced Saturday. (Image: NTRA)

Few Surprises Revealed as Eclipse Award Finalists Announced

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and the Daily Racing Form announced the finalists for the 2021 Eclipse Awards on Saturday. The list of finalists did not include Horse of the Year candidates, for which Knicks Go is a virtual certainty. Instead, finalists in 16 of […]

California Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) called for the California Horse Racing Board to exhibit transparency in its investigation of Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit's sudden death. (Image: Jay Calderon/Desert Sun)

California Senator Feinstein Calls Out CHRB on Medina Spirit Investigation

California Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, one of the Senate co-sponsors of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 and a frequent critic of horse racing, wrote a letter to the California Horse Racing Board seeking transparency in the sudden death of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. In the […]

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit collapsed and died Monday morning after a workout at Santa Anita Park. The 3-year-old colt never finished out of the money in 10 career races. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Derby Champion Medina Spirit Dies of Apparent Heart Attack After Workout

The sporting world beyond horse racing was shocked Monday morning when 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit suddenly died of an apparent heart attack after a morning workout at Santa Anita Park. The Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old had just finished a five-furlong work in 1:01.40 when he collapsed. Santa Anita’s onsite […]

Jockey John Velazquez aboard Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit, with owner Amr Zedan (far left), trainer Bob Baffert (yellow tie) and the rest of the horse's connections. Zedan and Baffert's attorneys issueed a statement maintaining the horse's positive drug test was due to an ointment. (Image: Jamie Newell/TwinSpires)

Baffert Attorneys: Test Proves Cream Caused Medina Spirit’s Positive Test

The attorneys for Medina Spirit’s owner and trainer, Amr Zedan and Bob Baffert, issued statements late Friday claiming that tests performed by a New York laboratory confirmed their position that the Kentucky Derby winner’s positive test for the corticosteroid betamethasone came from the ointment Otomax and not an injection. Baffert’s […]