Medina Spirit, the disputed winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby, died Monday of a heart attack after a workout at Santa Anita Park, trainer Bob Baffert said.
“My entire barn is devastated by this news,” Baffert wrote in an email. “Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all, and we are deeply mourning his loss.
“I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit.”
According to a statement from Santa Anita Park, a team led by Senior Veterinarian Dr. Laurie Bohannon “immediately took blood, hair and urine samples from Medina Spirit. Those samples were sent to the California Horse Racing Board. A full necropsy, as per protocol in California, run by the University of California-Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine will be performed to try and ascertain the exact cause of this sudden death.”
The CHRC will release the necropsy and toxicology studies at a later date.
Churchill Downs released the following statement: “Churchill Downs mourns the tragic loss of Medina Spirit and extends our deepest condolences to his fans and all who loved this horse.”
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Medina Spirit at the Kentucky Derby
At 12-1 odds, Medina Spirit and jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby on May 1 by a half-length over Mandaloun. It was the seventh…
