Medina Spirit

Medina Spirit won his first career race Dec. 11, 2020, at Los Alamitos, pulling away to a three-length score for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He made his 3-year-old bow Jan. 2 in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and rallied willingly late to finish second by three-quarters of a length to stablemate Life Is Good. The Protonico colt earned four points toward qualifying for the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

Medina Spirit earned his first graded stakes win on Jan. 30 at Santa Anita Park, winning the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes in a game performance. He set the early pace, then held off some late challenges to prevail in a photo finish. 

In his final start before the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit finished second in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. He rated three-wide off early leader Rock Your World, but could not get by as that one drew off. Medina Spirit earned 40 more qualifying points with that performance. 

On May 1, Medina Spirit gave Bob Baffert his seventh win in the In the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, setting the early pace and holding off several late challenges to win in 2:01.02. His victory was subsequently thrown into doubt after Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid, which is illegal on raceday in Kentucky.

Medina Spirit finished third in the Preakness Stakes on May 15 and then took over three months off as more tests were conducted and attorneys for Medina Spirit’s owner and trainer challenged the presence of betamethasone and how it got into the horse’s blood. On Aug. 29, Medina Spirit made his first start since the Preakness a winning one, taking the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar by 1 ¼ lengths over his Santa Anita Derby vanquisher Rock Your World.

Medina Spirit was bred in Florida by Gail Rice. He was purchased for $35,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Summer Sale in 2020.