Follow for live news updates on the Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit is no longer the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The colt, who died unexpectedly in December, was officially disqualified by Kentucky racing officials on Monday for failing a drug test after winning the race.
Did the winner of the Kentucky Derby pass the drug test?
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
There won’t be any controversy over this year’s Kentucky Derby winner. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced that all post-race samples from the Kentucky Derby came back clear, including Rich Strike’s.
Was the 2022 Derby winner drugged?
A week after the Derby, Baffert called a news conference to announce that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid injected into joints to reduce pain and swelling. He denied doping the horse. “There’s problems in racing,” he said. “But it’s not Bob Baffert.”
Has Medina Spirit been officially disqualified?
Medina Spirit has officially been disqualified from the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The colt crossed the line first in May’s race but failed a post-race drugs test. His trainer, Bob Baffert, was banned from entering horses at the Kentucky Derby for two years after the controversy.
Has a Kentucky Derby winner ever been disqualified?
‘” But shortly thereafter, the racehorse became the first winner to be disqualified in Derby history. Second-place finisher Forward Pass was later declared the winner. Phenylbutazone, also known as bute, was found in Dancer’s Image’s system after the 1968 Derby, leading officials to strip the horse of the win.
Why did Medina Spirit get disqualified?
On Monday, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stripped Medina Spirit of his Derby title in wake of the colt testing positive for the banned race-day substance betamethasone. The commission gave Baffert, who is already serving a two-year suspension from Churchill Downs, a 90-day suspension.
Why was the Kentucky Derby winner disqualified 2022?
The six-time Derby winner has been suspended from Churchill Downs because the original 2021 winner, Medina Spirit, failed a drug test and was stripped of his crown.
Why did they punch Rich Strike?
A man rode a horse next to Rich Strike and jockey Sonny Leon—as like most races of this nature. Rich Strike began trying to gnaw the horse next to him. This led the handler to throwing a constant right elbow to the head of Rich Strike.
What did Baffert do wrong?
In 1976, a part-time college student and fledgling trainer named Bob Baffert gave one of his horses a banned substance — partly out of ignorance, he wrote in an autobiography, and partly out of desperation to win. After the horse tested positive for morphine, Baffert was summoned to Sacramento by California regulators.
What is the controversy at the Kentucky Derby in 2022?
Shortly after winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit tested positive for the banned steroid betamethasone. While Baffert initially denied ever administering the drug, a subsequent investigation revealed the substance was found in an ointment applied to the horse.
What happens to winnings if Medina Spirit is disqualified?
Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby win is officially vacated after a positive test for betamethasone, but what about the bets cashed in on the victory? The short answer is — nothing. Even though Medina Spirit was disqualified, the stewards who threw him out said: “Pari-mutuel wagering is not affected by this ruling.”
What happens to payouts if Medina Spirit is disqualified?
So what happens to the bets cashed in on the victory? In a word, nothing. The stewards’ decision disqualifying Medina Spirit specifically says: “Pari-mutuel wagering is not affected by this ruling.” In other words, the payouts are done and over.
What happens to the best of Medina Spirit is disqualified?
THE ANSWER
No, nothing would change for bettors. People who bet on Medina Spirit to win the Kentucky Derby will get to keep their winnings, even if the horse ends up being disqualified.
Why did the Kentucky Derby winner get suspended?
Days after his career triumph, Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Sonny Leon is serving a suspension for careless riding. Leon rode 80-1 longshot Rich Strike to victory at Churchill Downs on Saturday after the horse was entered as a late replacement for a horse that was scratched.
Why did Rich Strike bite the pony?
Reed said Rich Strike bit Blasi and the pony because he was still in “race-mode.” “When he saw that pony coming his way, he thought he had another horse to beat,” Reed explained. “And he was trying to run by it.”
Who was disqualified from the Kentucky Derby 2022?
Medina Spirit
That’s not to say there isn’t residual emotions after Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby only to be disqualified nine months later for a medication violation of a legal anti-inflammatory that trainer Bob Baffert and his attorneys are still litigating.
Will Medina Spirit be stripped of Kentucky Derby?
The horse’s trainer, Bob Baffert, was suspended and fined after his horse failed a post-race drug test last year.
How much did Medina Spirit payout?
Medina Spirit’s purse money for winning the Derby — about $1.86 million — must also be forfeited, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission said in a ruling.
What happens to Medina Spirit now?
Medina Spirit, a 3-year-old colt who trained under Bob Baffert, died Dec. 6 following a workout at Santa Anita Park in California. A necropsy, an autopsy for animals, was required by the California Horse Racing Board.
How much did they pay for Rich Strike?
Key Background. Dawson bought Rich Strike last year for $30,000, far less than the hundreds of thousands of dollars most other Derby competitors fetched. Rich Strike didn’t qualify for the Derby until Friday, a day before the race.
How much did the winner of the Kentucky Derby get?
The breakdown of Kentucky Derby prize money, as noted by Twinspires.com, is as follows: First Place: $1.86 million (10% or $186,000 of which goes to the jockey) Second Place: $600,000 (5% or $30,000 of which goes to the jockey)