ARCADIA is a city in the state of California, Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, had no conclusive cause of death according to a necropsy.
The findings of the examination conducted after the horse slumped and died following a workout on Dec. 6 at Santa Anita were disclosed on Friday by the California Horse Racing Board.
The colt had a heart attack, according to trainer Bob Baffert. Medina Spirit had just finished his second training since coming second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, covering five furlongs.
The expanded lungs and froth in Medina Spirit’s windpipe, as well as an enlarged spleen, congestions, and moderate haemorrhages in other tissues, “are common in horses dying suddenly, and are compatible with, but not specific for a cardiac cause of death.” according to the necropsy report.
The Kentucky Derby win of Medina Spirit was questioned when he tested positive for betamethasone, a lawful medicine but is not permitted on race day in Kentucky.
As a consequence, Churchill Downs grounded Baffert and prevented him from entering horses in the Kentucky Derby in 2022 and 2023. He was also barred from entering horses at the New York Racing Association’s Belmont, Saratoga, and Aqueduct courses.
The anti-ulcer medicine omeprazole and the diuretic Lasix were identified in blood and urine samples during the necropsy on Medina Spirit, which matched the medication record submitted with CHRB by the attending veterinarian.
No additional narcotics, heavy metals, or toxicants were found, according to the study.
The necropsy comprised a thorough examination of the body and internal organs, as well as the collecting of specimens for microscopic analysis, toxicology, drug testing, and genetic testing, with specimens also being kept for future testing.
Medina Spirit was burned once the inspection was done, according to the CHRB.
The horse was investigated for evident reasons of death and visually visible anomalies during the necropsy. Tissue samples from the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, intestines, muscle, brain, spinal cord, testicles, and other glands were obtained and analysed under a microscope for abnormalities.
Heavy metals, anticoagulants, pesticides, environmental pollutants, medicines, and other items were all analysed in liver tissue. Hundreds of chemicals, including erythropoietin (EPO), clenbuterol, and betamethasone, were examined in blood and urine samples, including both legal and illegal pharmaceuticals.
Final Lines
Following that, Dr. Alina Vale will conduct a mandatory review of the necropsy report. The evaluation will also include a safety steward and a member of the board of stewards.
The CHRB will examine any potential rule infractions discovered throughout the evaluation process, which might result in a complaint and disciplinary action.
