Medina Spirit (Protonico), unraced since a third-place finish behind Rombauer (Twirling Candy) in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15, was not among the nominees to the Aug. 29 Shared Belief S., but may be ready for the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25, trainer Bob Baffert said Saturday.
“There have been rumors about that horse since May 1,” Baffert said with a laugh. “There has been a lot of talk about that horse. He's going to breeze this week and I'll know more after that. I go work-by-work with him. I'm looking at the Pennsylvania Derby, maybe as an option. [The question becomes], do I give him a race here? I'm going to let him tell me, the horse will let me know.”
Runner-up to then-stablemate Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 6 and to Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 3, Medina Spirit defied odds of 12-1 to cross the line first in the GI Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. The horse–and his trainer–have since been embroiled in controversy regarding a betamethasone positive that was returned post-race and which has yet to be adjudicated.
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