Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit has been cleared to race in Satuday's Preakness Stakes after trainer Bob Baffert agreed to prerace testing, per Baffert's lawyer.
Attorney W. Craig Robinson said Baffert has OK'd the public release of testing results, per ESPN:
Robertson wrote in a letter to the attorney for the Maryland Jockey Club that detailed the agreement that Baffert “consents to the public release of this letter and all testing results.”
Baffert came under fire after it was reported Medina Spirit had failed a postrace drug test. He was suspended following the initial results of the test, though has since adamantly denied any wrongdoing.
The esteemed trainer said in a release Tuesday the horse's failed test was the result of an antifungal ointment given to it in advance of the Kentucky Derby:
“Medina Spirit earned his Kentucky Derby win, and my pharmacologists have told me that 21 picograms of betamethasone would have had no effect on the outcome of the race,” Baffert said, via ESPN. “Medina Spirit is a deserved champion, and I will continue to fight for him.”
However, the latest development does not guarantee Medina Spirit's Kentucky Derby win will stand. The horse will be disqualified if a second round of testing shows the presence of the steroid betamethasone. In that case, runner-up Mandaloun would be declared the winner.
It remains to be seen how long officials will take in determining a possible results change. For now, at least, it appears Medina Spirit's quest for the Triple Crown will continue.
Baffert will not be in attendance at the Preakness.
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