Medina Spirit, winner of the Kentucky Derby, dies in training at Santa Anita

Medina Spirit, arguable victor of this year’s Kentucky Derby and a contender for an Eclipse Award arsenic apical 3-year-old antheral of 2021, collapsed pursuing a greeting workout astatine Santa Anita connected Monday and died of an evident bosom attack.

The 3-year-old colt sired by Protonico had conscionable completed a 5-furlong enactment successful 1:01.40 erstwhile the workout rider (who was uninjured) dismounted and Medina Spirit laid down connected the way and seemingly died earlier aesculapian unit arrived.

California Horse Racing Board equine aesculapian manager Jeff Blea told bloodhorse.com that it appeared the colt’s decease was “a abrupt death,” which are rarer than breakdowns that origin a equine to beryllium euthanized.

“It looked similar a classical lawsuit of a bosom attack,” helium told the publication.

A necropsy volition beryllium performed to officially find the origin of death, and that sometimes takes up to 60 days for results to travel in. Blea said sometimes adjacent a necropsy fails to find the origin of decease successful instances similar Monday’s.

Medina Spirit’s trainer, Bob Baffert, issued the pursuing statement:

“It is with large sadness that I americium reporting Medina Spirit passed distant contiguous from a bosom onslaught astatine Santa Anita pursuing a workout. My full barn is devastated by this news. Medina Spirit was a large champion, a subordinate of our household who was loved by all, and we are profoundly mourning his loss. I volition ever cherish the arrogant and idiosyncratic memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit. Our astir sincere condolences spell retired to (owner) Mr. Amr Zedan and the full Zedan Racing Stables Family. They are successful our thoughts and prayers arsenic we spell done this hard time.”

Medina Spirit gave Baffert his grounds seventh Kentucky Derby triumph connected May 1, but helium tested affirmative for the medicine betamethasone, starring Churchill Downs to prohibition Baffert from its way for 2 years. The New York Racing Association has besides attempted to prohibition Baffert from its tracks, but that contented has not been resolved.