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Medina Spirit has given a positive sample for Betamethasone.

Bob Baffert it strenuously denying that the horse was ever given this medication and has a right to have a split sample examined.

Betamethasone is a corticosteroid and last year the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission moved the days prior to the race in which a horse can be treated from 7 days to 14.  Any level of Betamethasone found is a violation of the Commission's rules, and as a result of this finding Baffert has been suspended from entering horses to race at Churchill Downs.

If the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit's win in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the winner.

Medina Spirit is entered in the Preakness and authorities there are watching carefully to see the outcome, but we understand split sample testing takes 2-3 weeks so it remains to be seen if they will accept Medina Spirit's entry.  The draw for the race has been put back a day to give them some more time to consider.

One of the factors so far not mentioned in the reports of this matter is that this year the Kentucky Derby was "Lasix free".  Lasix has been known to mask other drugs in the horse's system amongs other things.

Last year Baffert's runner Gamine was disqualified from her third place in the Kentucky Oaks and while Baffert said that she was treated with Betamethasone claims it was 18 days prior to the race.