Court Order Officially Dismisses Medina Spirit Appeal
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Medina Spirit finishes first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
An order was entered in a Kentucky court officially dismissing with prejudice the appeal of Medina Spirit's disqualification of his win of the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Judge Thomas Wingate signed the order in Franklin Circuit Court in Frankfort, Ky., Jan. 25 following a notice of voluntary dismissal filed earlier in the week by Clark Brewster, attorney for Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert and owner Amr Zedan.
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The order obviates the need for an oral argument on the appeal that was set for March 6. The oral argument probably would have taken about an hour, which would have led to a ruling on the merits. In an earlier order, Wingate promised he would render a decision before the running of the 150th Kentucky Derby. With Thursday's order, all proceedings in the case come to an end.
Baffert's and Zedan's appeal was taken from a decision by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to affirm Kentucky stewards' disqualification of Medina Spirit after post-race testing detected betamethasone, a medication prohibited on race day. A hearing officer assigned to take evidence from both sides of the case had previously recommended the action to KHRC. Attorney Jennifer Wolsing represented KHRC throughout the matter.