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Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit has tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone, and faces possible disqualification from the May 1 race at Churchill Downs, Bob Baffert announced May 9.
Baffert said Medina Spirit tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone—information that was relayed to him Friday by his assistant, Jimmy Barnes, who was served by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Betamethasone is a Class C drug that is allowed in Kentucky as a therapeutic.
However, state rules require at least a 14-day withdrawal time and any level of detection on race day is a violation.
The threshold was changed to zero from 10 picograms in August.
A split sample test will be requested by Baffert, who said he also independently arranged for DNA testing and hair follicle testing of Medina Spirit to confirm the positive test was not from a different horse. If the split sample confirms the original positive, a hearing will be held.
"I'm going to fight it tooth and nail because I owe it to the horse, I owe it to the owner, and I owe it to our industry," Baffert said.
"All I can tell you is that betamethasone even though it is an allowed drug, a therapeutic medication,
we did not give it. ... In fact, Medina Spirit has never been treated with betamethasone.
"Yesterday I got the biggest gut punch in racing for something that I didn't do. It's disturbing.
It's an injustice to the horse. … I don't know what's going on in racing right now, but there's something not right.
I don't feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged.