Credit: Unsplash

Medina Spirit has been posthumously stripped of his victory.

In 2021, the winner of the Kentucky Derby was 3-year-old colt Medina Spirit, who finished the race in a decisive first-place lead. This victory all but ensured the horse would go down in the history of horse racing as one of its greatest competitors, not to mention ensure that his trainer, Bob Baffert, would be one of the sport’s greatest trainers. Unfortunately, with the conclusion of a multi-month investigation, neither of those will be happening.

Months after the race, it was discovered that, on the day of the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit had failed a drug test for a pain-relief steroid, betamethasone, which is not permitted to be in a horse’s system on race day. Medina Spirit passed away in December from unidentified causes, and investigators are considering an overdose of this drug may be a potential culprit.

Medina Spirit has been disqualified as Kentucky Derby champion and trainer Bob Baffert was suspended for 90 days after the horse tested positive for a banned medication, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced Monday. https://t.co/xoIsnN4O6J

— ESPN (@espn) February 21, 2022

Due to these failures, Medina Spirit has been posthumously stripped of his victory, while Baffert has been ordered to return the $1.86 million prize purse and pay an additional fine of $7,500. Baffert will also be suspended from the sport for 90 days. Baffert and his lawyer are planning to appeal the decision.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby officials have opted to name Mandaloun, the horse who placed second in the 2021 race, the new victor. “Winning the Kentucky Derby is one of the most exciting achievements in sports and we look forward to celebrating Mandaloun on a future date in a way that is fitting of this rare distinction,” the officials said.