Medina Spirit and the Future of Anti-Doping in Horseracing

By Jared P. Vasiliauskas On May 9, 2021, Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit was announced to have failed a pre-race drug test for the corticosteroid betamethasone[1].  Betamethasone is classified as a therapeutic under the current anti-doping rules, and thus was only prohibited within 14 days of a race.  Along with the announcement came the potential that Medina Spirit would be disqualified and stripped of the Derby title.  However, before any such determination could be made