Medina Spirit cleared to run in Preakness Stakes after passing three rounds of drug tests
BALTIMORE — Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit passed three rounds of pre-race drug tests and will be eligible to run in Saturday’s Preakness, officials announced Friday afternoon.
Blood samples were drawn for three horses trained by Bob Baffert – Preakness hopefuls Medina Spirit and Concert Tour and Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan starter Beautiful Gift – last Thursday and Monday by the Maryland Racing Commission and screened by Industrial Laboratories in Colorado.
A third sample was drawn Tuesday by the Stronach Group – which owns Pimlico Race Course – and the Maryland Jockey Club and screened by the University of California-Davis Maddy Laboratory.
All three horses cleared each test.
The pre-race tests were part of an agreement between Baffert and Preakness officials after the trainer announced Sunday that Medina Spirit had tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone following his May 1 victory in the Kentucky Derby.
Baffert also consented to security surveillance and medical record reviews as conditions of being able to enter this weekend’s races at Pimlico. Medina Spirit and Concert Tour will remain under veterinary observation until Saturday’s Preakness.
2021 Preakness Stakes: Medina Spirit draw No. 3 post, opens as 9-5 favorite
Kentucky Derby controversy: Bettors sue Bob Baffert, seek his removal from horse racing
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and Churchill Downs are awaiting results of a second test to determine whether Medina Spirit will be disqualified as the Kentucky Derby winner. Those tests results are not expected back for several weeks.
If Medina Spirit is disqualified, Mandaloun will be declared the Kentucky Derby winner.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2021 Preakness: Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit cleared to run
