Medina Spirit Early Preakness Favorite, But Bob Baffert’s Horse Must Test Clean to Run

Medina Spirit, the colt whose Bluegrass State Derby win less than deuce weeks agone hangs in the equilibrium because of a failed drug test, was allowed to come in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. That’s thanks to an arrangement reached between trainer Bob Baffert and the Maryland Jockey Club.

But just now same that Derby win, Al Madinah Spirit’s Preakness entry also is not on strong ground. Under the agreement, blood for pre-race testing was taken from the colt and 2 other horses Baffert plans to black market at the Baltimore caterpillar track this weekend. type A failed psychometric test agency that gymnastic horse won’t run.

“The unity of the sportsman is of the upmost grandness to Mr. Baffert, and by consenting to this testing regime and monitoring, he affirms his commitment and inscription to the sport,” wrote Craig Robertson, Baffert’s attorney, inwards a alphabetic character to MJC attorney Alan Rifkin.

There were calls for Pimlico and Free State racing officials to conform to the head of John Churchill Downs and forbiddance Baffert from entering his horses for the time being.

Craig Fravel, CEO of Pimlico-owner 1/ST Racing (also known as The Stronach Group), said in a statement the accompany shares the worry almost equine safety. However, the runway also wants to fall out established protocols, and since Baffert has yet to live sanctioned past the KY Horse Racing Commission, officials allow him come in horses with the noted contingency.

“We cannot make up things up as we go away along, and we trust that the competitors, bettors, and fans will infer the importance of adhering to that principle,” he said.

Baffert Backpedals on Betamethasone Claim

Before the accord was announced, Baffert made an stupefying financial statement Tues morning, claiming Medina Spirit received day-to-day unguent applications that contained betamethasone, the anti-inflammatory factor that triggered the failed post-race test after the Derby.

Baffert said the failed run showed a finding of 21 picograms per milliliter. In Kentucky, the threshold is 10 picograms per milliliter.

On Sunday, when Baffert bust the news of the failed test, he claimed instead adamantly that he ne'er ordered that drug for Al Madinah Spirit. Tuesday’s financial statement backtracked those initial comments to an extent, with the Asaph Hall of Fame trainer locution an intragroup investigating set a possible source.

Medina Spirit developed a roseola on his hind destruction after his second-place destination inward utmost month’s Santa Anita Derby. Baffert had his veterinary look into the colt, and the physician recommended Otomax, an anti-fungal ointment, to hold the roseola and provide relief.

Under the vet’s instructions, Baffert’s staff applied the topical intervention day-after-day until the solar day before the Kentucky Derby.

Yesterday, I was informed that ane of the substances inwards Otomax is betamethasone,” he said. “While we manage non cognize definitively that this was the source of the alleged 21 picograms (per millimeter) found in Medina Spirit’s post-race blood sample, and our investigation is continuing, i hold been told past equid materia medica experts that this could explicate the try results.”

He added, though, that his investigation continues, and the acknowledgment does non mean he considers the initial try out results to be accurate.

The Bluegrass State Horse Racing Commission is also continuing its investigating into the matter. Should the stock split taste verify the initial positive test, and so Medina Spirit’s owners may lose the $1.8 million inwards wrinkle money and the colt could live stripped of the win.

Owner Stands Behind Embattled Trainer

While Baffert has received a lot of critique within the racing community of interests and from outsiders about the Al Madinah Spirit incident and a tape of alleged do drugs violations, 1 person who remains inwards his turning point is Medina Spirit’s owner.

On Tuesday, an attorney for Amr F. Zedan issued a financial statement on his behalf, expression he noneffervescent supports Baffert.

“I feature reviewed the image of the rash and to the full interpret the need for aid and the just trust intentions in using the salve supplied past the veterinarian,” the financial statement read.

Medina Spirit the Morning-Line Preakness Favorite

The correspondence was reached just now hours before Pimlico officials held the put up perspective tie for the second gem in the Triple Crown. And despite the controversy, Medina Spirit was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite after drawing off the tertiary carry for Saturday’s race.

Barnmate Concert Tour drew the outdoors gate inward the 10-horse field and has morning-line betting odds of 5-2. His ledger entry is also detail on passing a pre-race do drugs test, as is Beautiful Girl, Baffert’s accounting entry inwards Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan.

While his horses are inwards Baltimore, Baffert chose to fly home to Calif. from Louisville, saying he did non require to be a distraction at the race.

Besides Al Madinah Spirit, only when two other horses that ran in the Derby made the trek to Baltimore. One of them, Midnight Bourbon, is likely to live a prime contender to the Baffert pair.

Trained past Steve Asmussen, the Tiznow-sired colt ruined 6th inwards the Derby. But he was in 14th place with a half-mile to go.

Aside from the Run for the Roses, Midnight Bourbon has finished inwards the money inward each of his other seven races. But his endure win came inwards Jan inwards the Lecomte Stakes. His morning-line odds are 5-1.

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