The horse that won the Kentucky Derby but failed a drug test, causing controversy for his trainer Bon Baffert, has died.
Medina Spirit died while training in Santa Anita Park in California after possibly having a heart attack, sources close to Baffert told WLKY.
The three-year-old colt was working out at 7:45am when he collapsed near the finish line, the Los Angeles Times reported. Sirens went off as the horse ambulance arrived and he was taken from the track.
Medina Spirit’s death was confirmed by the California Horse Racing Board.
Further details were not immediately available.
The horse tested positive for a steroid shortly after winning the Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs. As a result, Baffert was suspended from Churchill Downs and prohibited from competing there in the 2022 and 2023 derbies.
Medina Spirit’s title as the winner of the 2021 Derby has been questioned but still stands.
Medina Spirit won five of 10 lifetime races, including Awesome Again. He finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his last race, in Del Mar, California.
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