Churchill Downs lifts Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s suspension after he admits wrongdoing
Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance after initially being declared the winner of the Triple Crown race. The horse crossed the finish line first, but a blood sample revealed betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid sometimes used to relieve joint pain, was in the horse, CNN previously reported.
The substance is not allowed on race day under Kentucky equine protocols.
Baffert was initially given a two-year ban by Churchill Downs in 2021.
Last July, before the suspension was lifted, Churchill Downs Incorporated, the organizer of the horse race and owner of the famed racetrack, extended Baffert’s suspension through the end of 2024.
Baffert said at the time the drug was in a topical ointment used for a skin infection and Medina Spirit had not been injected with it.
Baffert, who has trained six Derby winners, said in a post on X he is responsible for any substances found in his trained horses and has “paid a very steep price” with Medina Spirit’s disqualification and the three-year suspension.
“I understand and appreciate that Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission took steps to enforce the rules that they believed were necessary to protect the safety and integrity of horse racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby,” Baffert said in the statement.
“My family and I want to put this behind us and get back to doing what we love to do without any more distraction or negativity. I very much look forward to returning to Churchill Downs and getting back to the Winner’s Circle,” he said.
Churchill Downs said it is “satisfied” Baffert took responsibility “for his actions, completed a substantial penalty and is committed to running in full compliance with the rules and regulations going forward.”
In a statement Friday, Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO Bill Carstanjen welcomed Baffert back to its flagship racetrack and any other track owned by the company, which has racetracks across several states Louisiana, Kentucky and Virginia.
“All parties agree that it is time to bring this chapter to a close and focus on the future,” Carstanjen said in the statement. “We wish him and his connections good luck in their future competitive endeavors.”
Medina Spirit died in 2021 at the Santa Anita racetrack in Southern California after collapsing following a workout.
The Kentucky Derby is scheduled to run on May 3, 2025.
The controversy surrounding Medina Spirit's positive test for betamethasone, a banned substance in horse racing, led to a substantial penalty for trainer Bob Baffert, including a three-year suspension and a "very steep price" in reputation. After serving part of his suspension, Baffert is now allowed to compete at racetracks owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated, which has venues in several states such as Louisiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.
