Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit has passed three pre-race tests prior to the May 15 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course required for his participation, according to a release issued midafternoon May 14 from The Stronach Group/1ST Racing.
TSG already announced May 13 that the Bob Baffert trainee had cleared the first of three tests. Results from the other two tests, taken days after the first sample, were not available until Friday afternoon.
CROSBY: Baffert Horses Clear First Round of Maryland Testing
The tests, also required of Gary and Mary West's Preakness contender Concert Tour and Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift— who ran seventh Friday in the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2)—were part of an entry agreement for Hall of Famer Baffert after Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone following the May 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
CROSBY/ANGST: Medina Spirit Tests Positive for Betamethasone
According to Baffert, the horse was treated for dermatitis with a topical medication, Otomax, which contains betamethasone. The trainer said he did not realize the ointment contained the drug until May 10, soon after he began an investigation into what might have led to the positive test.
An investigation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is pending into the positive. Baffert has requested a split-sample test to confirm the overage. Meanwhile, Churchill Downs has suspended Baffert's racing privileges and will not accept horses conditioned by the trainer until the KHRC investigation is concluded.
Two of the three tests required of Baffert trainees were sent to Industrial Laboratories in Colorado, another to the University of California at Davis Maddy Laboratory.
ANGST/KING: Baffert: Ointment Could Have Caused Drug Positive
"Consistent with the fair procedures and practices established by 1/ST Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club, the additional tests and monitoring were conducted as part of the rigorous condition of entry agreement to ensure the fairness and integrity of the races with horses entered by Baffert," read a TSG/1ST Racing release issued late Friday afternoon. "All horses entered in both the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the 146th Preakness Stakes will remain under veterinary observation and security surveillance."
Baffert also has SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm, and Robert Masterson's Hozier entered in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes, the first race of the day on the Preakness Stakes undercard. The Stronach Group did not include the son of Pioneerof the Nile in their statements on tests conducted on Baffert's other weekend runners.
