LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s post-race positive drug test has been confirmed, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
A lawyer representing Amr Zedan, the owner of Medina Spirit, told The Times that the horse’s split sample tested positive for the drug betamethasone, matching the initial postrace positive that led to Churchill Downs suspending trainer Bob Baffert.
If Medina Spirit is disqualified as a result of the failed drug test, he will be only the second horse in the race’s 147-year history to face such an outcome, joining Dancer’s Image in 1968.
Neither Baffert nor his lawyer, W. Craig Robertson III, returned emails or phone calls for comment from The New York Times.
However, Robertson released this statement to the Lexington Herald-Leader:
“In response to the inquiries, this will acknowledge that the Medina Spirit split sample confirmed the finding of betamethasone at 25 picograms. There is other testing that is being conducted, including DNA testing. We expect this additional testing to confirm that the presence of the betamethasone was from the topical ointment, Otomax, and not an injection. At the end of the day, we anticipate this case to be about the treatment of Medina Spirit’s skin rash with Otomax. We will have nothing further to say until the additional testing is complete.”
Sherelle Roberts, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, told the Herald-Leader: “The KHRC does not provide comment or updates on the status of ongoing investigations. The KHRC values fairness and transparency, and will provide information to the media and public at the close of an investigation.”
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(Lexington Herald-Leader staff writer Janet Patton contributed to this report.)
