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There was discussion Sunday that Medina Spirit could have his Kentucky Derby win removed after it was discovered the horse had 21 picograms of the steroid betamethasone, double the legal threshold in Kentucky racing, in a postrace sample.
Websites already paid out on Medina Spirit. The bigger question is: Will they now pay out on the 2nd place finisher Mandaloun?
For now, Medina Spirit remains the winner and trainer Bob Baffert is fighting the allegations.
The horse racing industry would likely come up with a cohesive way of resolving this issue should Mandaloun ultimately be declared the Kentucky Derby winner.
It's possible some books may not wait around and decide to pay on Mandaloun in an effort to build some positive press.
Betamethasone is the same drug that was found in the system of Gamine, another Baffert-trained horse who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks last September.
Baffert denied any wrongdoing and said he did not know how Medina Spirit could have tested positive. He said Medina Spirit has never been treated with betamethasone and called it “a complete injustice.”
“I don’t feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged,” said Baffert, adding that he was going to be transparent with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
“We’re going to show them everything. One thing about it in California, everything is documented every day what the horse gets. This horse was never treated with that. He’s a great horse, he doesn’t deserve this. He ran a gallant race.”
Medina Spirit is favored to win in the upcoming Preakness Stakes.
- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com
