New Hearing Officer Named in Medina Spirit Appeal

A new hearing officer has been appointed to preside over the appeal of Medina Spirit's disqualification in the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Eden Davis Stephens, deputy executive director of Kentucky's Office of Administrative Hearings, received the appointment over the signature of Shawn D. Chapman, OAH executive director. The information was obtained by BloodHorse through an open records request to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Stephens is an attorney whose LinkedIn account describes her as an Administrative Law Judge and says she's been OAH deputy director since July 2020.

Before joining the Office of Administrative Hearings Stephens was, in reverse order, an administrative law judge for the Kentucky Department of Corrections from 2013 to 2020; in private practice and a hearing officer for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice for two years; a trial attorney handling criminal and involuntary commitment cases for the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy for 3 1/2 years; and a staff attorney for the Fayette County Family Court in Lexington for a year.

Stephens graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2003. She received her law degree from the University of Louisville three years later. She is a member of the Kentucky Association of Administrative Adjudicators and lists "Causes" on her LinkedIn account as arts and culture, civil rights and social action, economic empowerment, politics, poverty alleviation, science and technology, and social services.

The new hearing officer succeeds Clayton Patrick, who recused himself from presiding over the appeal a few days following the conclusion of a six-day hearing when he learned Clark Brewster bought a yearling partially owned by Patrick and his farm at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Brewster represents Amr Zedan's company, one of the parties who appealed the stewards' disqualification of Medina Spirit. Trainer Bob Baffert also appealed.

The KHRC response to the BloodHorse open records request indicates there's been no formal determination of whether the Medina Spirit appeal will be re-tried by Stephens or decided on the existing record; that there are no records of the parties' positions on that matter; and that there's no record that a hearing about any subject has been scheduled.

Lab reports showed Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Following a hearing in February 2022, stewards Barbara Borden, Brooks Becraft, and Tyler Picklesimer disqualified the colt and moved Mandaloun  , who's since been retired, into first place. Last December, Medina Spirit died on the track at Santa Anita on the morning of a workout. The six-day hearing before Patrick concluded Aug. 30.

Ultimately, the hearing officer in the appeal will decide on a recommendation to KHRC, which is free to adopt or reject it, at which time the losing party is likely to take the matter to court.

In addition to the winner's disqualification, stewards suspended Baffert for 90 days and fined him $7,500. Baffert served the time after requests for a stay were denied by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate, and a three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Shortly after detection of the prohibited substance in Medina Spirit and numerous media appearances by Baffert, Churchill Downs banned him from entering horses at its tracks for two years. Baffert countered with a federal court lawsuit. Reports have said Baffert is no longer pursuing the case, which is dormant after being fully briefed, but not dismissed.