Cause of death for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit remains uncertain

The colt trained by Bob Baffert collapsed and died at the end of a workout at Santa Anita Park.

At the time, Medina Spirit's owner, Amr Zedan, told the Thoroughbred Daily News racing website that the horse had died from a heart attack, but under CHRB rules regarding the sudden death of any horse at racing facilities a postmortem (necropsy) examination was required.

The necropsy report said Medina Spirit's swollen lungs and foam in his windpipe, as well as enlarged spleen, congestions and mild hemorrhages in other tissues "are common in horses dying suddenly, and are compatible with, but not specific for a cardiac cause of death."

Medina Spirit's victory at the Kentucky Derby on May 1 was called into question after the horse tested positive for traces of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory steroid medication not allowed to be used within 14 days of competition.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission launched an investigation into the matter while Churchill Downs issued a two-year ban on Baffert, who denied all wrongdoing.

Baffert has said the medication found in Medina Spirit's system was the result of a legal application of a topical ointment, rather than an injection.

Medina Spirit was the fifth horse trained by Baffert in 12 months to fail a drugs test.

Baffert is currently barred from entering horses in this year's Kentucky Derby and the 2023 edition, and has also been banned by New York racing authorities from entering horses at Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct race tracks.

Toxicology findings in the necropsy report found the anti-ulcer medication omeprazole and the diuretic Lasix in blood and urine samples consistent with the medication report filed by Medina Spirit's attending veterinarian.

The report said no other drugs, heavy metals or toxicants were detected. Samples were saved for possible future retesting, but, after the examination was completed, Medina Spirit was cremated.

Under CHRB rules, the report will be reviewed by another veterinarian and a safety steward.