Shared Belief, PA Derby Seem Options for Medina Spirit

The rumors on the backstretch were too persistent to ignore. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, some said, was going to run Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) first-place finisher Medina Spirit  in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, a mile main track event for 3-year-olds at Del Mar Aug. 29.

"There have been rumors about that horse since May 1," Baffert said with a laugh this morning. "There has been a lot of talk about that horse."

The 3-year-old, owned by Zedan Racing Stables, is at risk of disqualification from the May 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs after two test results showed the prohibited race day presence of betamethasone, a corticosteroid. Baffert is also at risk of a fine and/or suspension.

Kentucky stewards have yet to conduct a hearing pending receipt of follow-up testing. Attorneys representing the connections of the Protonico   colt hope to present mitigating circumstances to stewards based on Baffert's statement of the colt receiving pre-Derby treatment of an ointment for a skin condition.

"He's going to breeze this week and I'll know more after that," Baffert said. "I go work-by-work with him. I'm looking at the Pennsylvania Derby, maybe as an option.

"Do I give him a race here? I'm going to let him tell me, the horse will let me know."

The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1), a 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds, is Sept. 25 at Parx Racing. It is a race Baffert has won three times, first with Bayern   in 2014 and followed by West Coast   in 2017 and McKinzie   in 2018.

Medina Spirit, unraced since a third-place finish in the May 15 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course, was not among the 14 nominated to the Shared Belief earlier this week, though he could be made a supplemental nomination for $1,000 by entry time Aug. 26.

Baffert made his champion female sprinter, Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine , a supplemental nomination to the Las Flores Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park earlier this year. She won over a short field, which seems likely in the Shared Belief, with or without Medina Spirit.

Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Rock Your World  was nominated to the Shared Belief and trainer John Sadler said that will be the next assignment for the son of Candy Ride. 

Classier , another of Baffert's 3-year-olds, worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 Aug. 21 and will run at Del Mar in either the Shared Belief or the $200,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) Aug. 28, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

Gamine worked six furlongs for Baffert Saturday in 1:12 toward the Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 28, and another one of the trainer's top females, As Time Goes By , a winner of two graded stakes at the Santa Anita meeting, covered five furlongs in a bullet :58 4/5.