Medina Spirit | Horse Racing Free Tips

Preakness Win Would Give Baffert Another All-Time Training Record

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who became the winningest trainer in Kentucky Derby (G1) history by saddling Medina Spirit for an upset victory Saturday at Churchill Downs, is hoping to make history again in the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit became the seventh Kentucky Derby winner trained by Baffert, who had been tied with legendary Ben Jones for most victories by a trainer in the Run for the Roses.

In this year's Preakness, Baffert will seek to break a tie with Robert Wyndham Walden, who saddled seven Preakness winners between 1875 and 1888. Baffert has been represented in the Preakness winner's circle by Triple Crown champions Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015), as well as Lookin At Lucky (2010), War Emblem (2002), Point Given (2001), Real Quiet (1998) and Silver Charm (1997).

Medina Spirit, who held gamely to register a 12-1 upset Derby victory by a half-length after setting a solid pace, and Gary and Mary West's Concert Tour, the Rebel (G2) winner and third-place Arkansas Derby (G1) finisher at Oaklawn, were very much in the Preakness picture for Baffert Sunday morning.

“So far he came out of the race well,” Baffert, who was scheduled to return to California Sunday, told the assembled media Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. “I'll watch them closely. I'll come back next weekend. But right now, I don't see anything that would discourage me.”

Baffert's horses will stay at Churchill Downs before traveling to Pimlico. Normally, Baffert's horses fly from Louisville on the Wednesday before the Preakness. However, he said Tex Sutton Equine Air Transportation, which flies horses across America, is being shut down for a period of time after this week, and thus his horses will van to Baltimore. He said he's working on travel arrangements.

Medina Spirit, who entered the Kentucky Derby off a runner-up finish behind Rock Your World in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), gave Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez his fourth victory in the first jewel of the Triple Crown, leading all the way and fighting off Mandaloun through the stretch to complete 1 1/4 miles in a very good 2:01.02.

“I thought everything had to go perfect for him,” Baffert said. “We were going to go to the lead and see what happened. But I thought if they challenged him, I didn't know what was going to happen. He made the lead pretty easily for him and the other speed horse (Rock Your World) didn't break. That's the thing about the Derby. You've got to get the trip.

“Going down the backside, he was doing it easy. You could see he was enjoying himself. His ears were forward. Turning for home, they came to him and he dug in and fought hard. It was sort of the same race he ran at Santa Anita when he won the Robert Lewis. They came to him and he fended them all off,” he added. “I couldn't believe it at the sixteenth pole that he was actually going to do it. It was just a thrill to watch him do it and fight on. He came back and acted like he handled it pretty well. He wasn't as tired as I thought he'd be.”

Baffert has never failed to win the 1 3/16-mile Preakness when he's come to Pimlico with a horse who won the Derby in May. He finished a close second last October with Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, the eventual Breeders' Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year, when the Preakness was delayed until a month after the Derby. Authentic lost the Preakness by a neck to the filly Swiss Skydiver.

The Florida-bred Medina Spirit now has three wins and three seconds in six lifetime starts, earning $2,175,200. The son of Protonico was Baffert's fourth Kentucky Derby winner who had previously finished second in the Santa Anita Derby, following Silver Charm, Real Quiet and Authentic.

“He ran fast all the way around there,” Baffert said of the Derby. “I think Medina just said, 'Hey boys, I'm a lot better' (than you think). I don't think he's a horse that has to be out there zipping. We've figured him out, and that's what these preps are for. I love it when it works out. These horses make us look smart. But at the end of the day, he's just a good horse.”

The Derby capped a huge day for Baffert. He won Derby City Distaff with female sprint champion Gamine to earn his record 220th Grade 1 stakes triumph, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert was so much in the zone that he also won a grass stakes – not the surface for which he's best known. Co-owned by Baffert's wife, Jill, the 3-year-old Du Jour took the $500,000 American Turf (G2) on the undercard.

Concert Tour, who was withheld from the Derby after losing for the first time in the Arkansas Derby, had a scheduled workout just before 6 a.m. Sunday morning. The son of Street Sense breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60, the fifth-fastest of 17 works at the distance, in preparation for a possible run in the Preakness Stakes.

“Concert Tour, he worked well this morning,” Baffert said. “I'll sit down and talk to Mr. West. He wants that horse to develop and not to get in a rush. We know he's a really good horse. We'll see how he is next week.”

While Concert Tour also races on or near the lead, Baffert said their running styles would not be a factor in determining whether he runs the Rebel winner. Baffert kept Concert Tour out of the Derby after the colt was third in the Arkansas Derby in his fourth career start after three wins.

“We just want to look at them and see how they are training,” he said. “They have to be doing really well [to go to Pimlico].”

Mandaloun, Essential Quality, Caddo River Cox Possibilities
Trainer Brad Cox, who finished second by a half-length with Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun and fourth with Godolphin's favored Essential Quality in his first Kentucky Derby, said the Preakness is a possibility for both colts but that it was premature to commit one way or the other.

“Just unsure. We'll watch both colts – kind of typical trainer talk,” said Cox Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. “We'll get them back to the track in three or four days and see how they're moving. No commitments at all. I mean, I love the Preakness. It's a great weekend, probably one of the best weekends of the year and we'll definitely have horses for the undercard.

“We want to also map out the rest of the year,” he added. “It's very important these horses get Grade 1 opportunities and Grade 1 (wins) under their belt at 3. We'll try to map out some type of campaign toward making them champion 3-year-old.”

Cox said Shortleaf Stable's Caddo River, taken out of Derby consideration when he had an elevated temperature a week ago, also is a possibility for the Preakness.

The trainer's first start in a Triple Crown race came in the 2019 Preakness, when Owendale finished third and Warrior's Charge ran fourth.

“I think it helped prepare us for (Saturday),” he said. “I'd really like to get back to the Preakness. Honestly, I felt like I ran the horse that was maybe the best horse that day. He had a wide trip, and the rail was golden that day. He ran a tremendous race.”

Cox said that while Medina Spirit “ran huge,” he believes that Essential Quality, fourth as the betting favorite at just under 3-1, might have been the best horse.

“I do. I think he was the best horse. People can say what they want. But he was beaten a length and ran 68 feet farther than the winner, and had a little bit of trouble at the start,” Cox said. “The winner ran huge. When you see a horse lay down those fractions and still keep going, you can't take anything away from that horse. I thought Essential was kind of compromised at the start and then was kind of in chase mode pretty much the whole way. He just never could get comfortable, take his deep breath to where he could gather himself up and come with a strong finish. But he did stay on extremely well.”

Mandaloun came into his narrow Derby defeat off of a sixth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

“We know he's a good horse; he showed that last fall,” Cox said. “We've always thought he was a good colt and we were just glad he got it back on the right track.”

In addition to Medina Spirit, Concert Tour, Mandaloun, Essential Quality and Caddo River, Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Trish Bowman's list of Preakness prospects includes Midnight Bourbon, who closed to finish sixth after bumping at the start of the Kentucky Derby; Crowded Trade, who finished third in the Wood Memorial (G2); Rombauer, who finished third in the Blue Grass (G2) after winning the Preakness 'Win and In' El Camino Real Derby; Japan-based France Go de Ina, who finished sixth in the UAE Derby (G2); Lexington (G3) winner King Fury, who was knocked out of the Derby with a fever; and Unbridled Honor, who finished second in the Lexington.

Trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Sunday morning that Whisper Hill Farm's Unbridled Honor is being considered for the Preakness.

“I'll talk to the connections,” Pletcher said. “He was second in the Lexington last time. He ran pretty well. He was a good closing fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby. He's a horse who has always trained pretty well, still trying to figure things out in race situations.”

Pletcher said he thought the Preakness would be “pretty wide-open event,” although Medina Spirit and his trainer should not be taken lightly.

“[Medina Spirit]'s been running consistently well,” he said. “I think in a couple of his races at Santa Anita, he was in the race with [stablemate] Life Is Good and it looked like early on in the race, he was wanting to go on and they didn't want to get in a speed duel with Life Is Good, so they took him back. I think [Saturday] he got to run the way he likes to run, which is to let him run freely.”

Asked about Baffert breaking out of a tie with the legendary Ben Jones for the all-time Derby lead, Pletcher said, “Obviously the guy knows what he's doing. He has a special knack for winning big races, this race and has a terrific program. Usually when he ships his horses in, they're ready to roll.”

Yuji Mori's France Go de Ina, a son of Will Take Charge, is scheduled to be entered in the Preakness. Currently in quarantine in Japan, he is scheduled to fly to the U.S. May 5. The winner of two of three starts in Japan is scheduled to be in quarantine in Los Angeles for two days before flying to Baltimore May 7.

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Baffert On Medina Spirit: ‘They Came For Him, And He Just Dug In’

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert added his record-breaking seventh Kentucky Derby trophy to his collection Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., when Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit held on to win the 147th running of the “Run for the Roses.”

“Can he win the Triple Crown? I don't know. But he's the Derby winner, and that's all that matters,” Baffert said Sunday morning at Barn 33. “I was coming in here, thinking, I wasn't sure (if Medina Spirit could win the Derby), everything had to go perfect for him. We were going to go to the lead, and see what happened. What if they challenged him? He made the lead pretty easily, for him, and the other speed horse didn't break (Rock Your World). That's what it's like in the Derby: You have to get the trip; the other speed horse didn't get the trip.

“Going down the backside, he was doing it easy, you could tell he was enjoying himself. His ears were forward. And turning for home, they came for him, and he just dug in. I didn't know if he was going to do it. He fought hard, and ran sort of the same race that he did at Santa Anita when he won the Robert Lewis. They came to him, and he fended them all off.

“I couldn't believe it, at the sixteenth pole he was fighting and fighting. It was just a thrill to watch him do it, and fight on.”

Medina Spirit secured an easy by the time the Kentucky Derby 147 field rounded the first turn

Medina Spirit (inside) was only a head in front of Mandaloun with a quarter of a mile left to run

Medina Spirit never relinquished the lead in the long stretch battle, winning the Derby by a half length over Mandaloun, with Hor Rod Charlie third and previously unbeated favorite Essential Quality fourth

Baffert said the effort didn't seem to take that much out of Medina Spirit.

“And he came back, he's handling it quite well,” Baffert said. “He wasn't as tired as I thought he might be. A big race like that, but he handled it quite well.”

With the victory, Baffert now is the all-time leading Kentucky Derby winning trainer with seven triumphs, a run that began in 1997 with Silver Charm.

“When they turned for home, I was still not convinced,” Baffert said. “We didn't start screaming and yelling until about the sixteenth pole, when it looked like it was do-able. In that last hundred yards, we all were screaming and yelling like it was my first Derby. We were like crazy, crazy. That's what the Derby does to you. There's no other race like it. The seven hasn't quite sunk in yet. And to do it with a $35,000 horse. It gives people hope, keeps their dreams alive. Actually he was the cheapest yearling, since he cost $1,000. But he's a beautiful horse, a good-looking horse.

“I stand here in front of you guys, and you don't know how much I appreciate winning this, especially as you get older. It gets tougher as you get older. … I'd love to have 10 in there if I could, but you know that won't happen. To have one who has a chance. To win it with him, it's a Cinderella story, he's just a blue-collar horse, just digging in. He reminded me of Silver Charm. … It's another Kentucky Derby dream that came true.”

The obvious question following the Derby triumph is the Pimlico question: on to the Preakness?

“He came out of it well. It takes about a week to determine, so I'm going to come back next weekend and see,” Baffert said. “But I don't see anything discouraging right now. Concert Tour worked well this morning (five furlongs in 1:00.60 at 5:50 a.m.), I'll sit down and talk to Mr. (Gary) West. He wants that horse to develop and we're not rushing things. We know he's a good horse, so we'll see next week how he is. The thing is how they're training. They both would have to be training well.”

MANDALOUN (Second)/ESSENTIAL QUALITY (Fourth) – Trainer Brad Cox had a well-deserved walk day in Barn 22 following his first Kentucky Derby experience.

“It was a wild experience being in the Derby for the first time,” Cox said. “In every previous Derby I've attended, I've been a fan. I've seen the media interviews, the playing of 'My Old Kentucky Home' and everything leading up to the race. Being in the race, all of those things are sort of a blur. You're so focused on the job at hand. We were so grateful that both of our horses ran as well as they did. Essential Quality got a tough trip being so wide but coming that close to a Derby win makes me want more. We'll be back.”

HOT ROD CHARLIE (Third) – The Oxbow colt came out of his Kentucky Derby experience physically fine and likely mentally stronger after missing by a length in his third-place finish behind winner Medina Spirit. He'll be headed back to his Southern California base Tuesday, according to his conditioner, Doug O'Neill.

The trainer had nothing but good things to say about his charge's try under a solid ride by Flavien Prat.

“We're just so proud of his effort,” O'Neill said Sunday morning. “He ran a great race. He ate up last night and jogged fine this morning. It was all good.”

The trainer, who'll catch a plane west Sunday morning, said a start in the Preakness Stakes in two weeks is not in the plans for “Charlie,” who – with his $300,000 share of the Derby purse — now sports a bankroll of $1,305,700 after eight starts.

“We'll look to run him next in the Belmont Stakes (June 5 at New York's Belmont Park),” O'Neill said. “We'll get him back to California and start planning for that.”

O BESOS (Fifth) – It was a quiet morning at trainer Greg Foley's Barn 11 following O Besos' fifth-place in the Kentucky Derby.

“We're so proud of our horse,” Foley said. “He came out of things good and we'll see what the plans are next. It's been a fun road to get to the Derby. We had a real chance and our horse showed up.”

MIDNIGHT BOURBON (Sixth)/SUPER STOCK (16th) – Trainer Steve Asmussen's chief assistant Scott Blasi reported all was well with Midnight Bourbon and Super Stock following Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

KEEPMEINMIND (Seventh) – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind was doing fine Sunday morning trainer Robertino Diodoro said following the colt's seventh-place finish.

“He came out of it well,” jockey David Cohen said Sunday after Keepmeinmind had rallied widest of all from last in the field of 19 to miss getting a check by three lengths. “He ran back to how we want him to; he relaxed will and finished up strong. Without having to tip out and the loss of ground, he would've ran fifth.”

Plans for a next start are to be determined.

HELIUM (Eighth)/SOUP AND SANDWICH (19th) – Trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll reported their Derby duo of Helium and Soup and Sandwich were both back in Barn 36 at Churchill Downs and doing fine after the 1 ¼-mile affair.

“Thankfully both horses came back fine,” Carroll said. “Soup and Sandwich displaced (his soft palate) during the race but was doing well this morning. I thought Helium ran his race and did well.”

KNOWN AGENDA (Ninth)/SAINTHOOD (11th)/BOURBONIC (13th)/DYNAMIC ONE (18th) –– Trainer Todd Pletcher was at Barn 42 early Sunday morning to continue on with the business of training his substantial stable. He did note that his Derby quartet all came out of their Saturday efforts no worse for the wear and that they'd be headed back to his New York headquarters at Belmont Park Monday. He further said that he'd be headed that way today.

Known Agenda, Sainthood, Bourbonic and Dynamic One failed to make much dent in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby lineup and the trainer said he'd watched several replays of the mile-and-a-quarter classic.

The only one of his runners that Pletcher felt was the victim of some unfortunate racing luck was Known Agenda, who broke well, but then was quickly shuffled back along the rail by a pack of horses and had to fight traffic and kick-back for the rest of the run.

Would he consider the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore in two weeks for any of his Derby horses? “That's not my MO,” the conditioner stated. “We'll get back to New York and regroup. Then we can think about some major decisions with those horses.”

Pletcher was asked about the possibility of his stellar filly – Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Malathaat –possibly taking on the boys in the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes on June 5.

“We're not sure about that one yet,” he said. “She's a special filly and appears quite capable of running the distance. At some point this year she's likely to take on the boys, but we're still not sure where or when that might be.”

It is recalled that in 2007 Pletcher won the Kentucky Oaks with his star filly Rags to Riches. Then he trained her for the next five weeks for a go at the boys in the Belmont. The result was one of the great renewals of that historic classic with the filly surging to the front in mid-stretch, being taken on by the husky colt and future two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and fighting back to hold him off by a head in an absolute thriller. In a touch of irony, Curlin, it should be noted, is the sire of Malathaat.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED (10th) – Trainer Chad Brown's assistant trainer Whit Beckman said Highly Motivated exited his Kentucky Derby 10^th-place effort in good order.

“We'll hopefully be back again soon,” Beckman said.

LIKE THE KING (12th) – M Racing Group's Like the King returned to trainer Wesley Ward's main base of operations at Keeneland Saturday night following his 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

“He came back great and it was a great experience,” Ward said, adding via text that Like the King's next venture likely would be on the grass in five to six weeks.

HIDDEN STASH (14th) – BBN Racing's Hidden Stash was headed back to trainer Vicki Oliver's barn at Keeneland Sunday morning following his 14th-place Derby finish.

“He came back great, but he looked tired last night,” Oliver said via text and indicating Hidden Stash would be getting a break for the time being. “He ran his race. Horses were in front of him and there was nowhere to go.”

BROOKLYN STRONG (15th) – Brooklyn Strong exited his 18th-place finish well, but wasn't wasting anytime getting back to his Bensalem, Pa., base. Trainer Danny Velazquez said the colt was leaving Sunday morning and would be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes June 5.

“I know it's crazy, but we never got a good showing,” Velazquez said. “Slow break and then he got banged back to almost last. It's tough with 19 horses. No regrets. I had a great experience and we made it to the Derby with a $5,000 horse.”

ROCK YOUR WORLD (17th) – The California-based colt's Derby dreams began and ended just a few jumps out of the starting gate Saturday when he was seriously squeezed from both sides out of the 15 hole and forced to fall far back in the big field.

“We had no chance after that,” trainer John Sadler noted Sunday morning at Barn 43 on the Churchill Downs backside.

Rider Joel Rosario tried to get his Candy Ride colt back in the hunt initially, but it quickly proved futile and in the end they wound up finishing 17th in the 19-horse field.

“Disappointing is the word,” Sadler added, discouraged by the fact that his horse never got a chance to run his race.

Assistant trainer Juan Leyva, who has worked at Sadler's side for the past four years, reported that “Rock” ate up fine last night and walked the shedrow with no problems Sunday morning.

“We just got left with a feeling of uncertainty,” Leyva said. “It was so sad that we never got a chance to see what he could do.”

Sadler, who'll be jetting back to California Sunday with his main owner, Kosta Hronis, said Rock Your World would fly back to his barn at Santa Anita Tuesday.

“We'll get him home and regroup,” Sadler stated. “At this point I don't know what we're going to do with him. But we'll come up with a plan.”

Joining the Derby colt on the plane west will be the stable's super steady sprinter Flagstaff, the 7-year-old gelding who ran a thriller Saturday on the undercard and came away a very game photo-finish winner of the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs. The old pro by champion sprinter Speightstown enhanced his career mark to seven wins, six seconds and three thirds in 19 starts. His career earnings now stand at $991,585.

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$233 Million Wagered On Kentucky Derby Day; Second-Highest Ever

Churchill Downs Incorporated reported that 51,838 fans were on hand to witness Medina Spirit's victory in the 147th running of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Ky.

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $233.0 million, up 85% compared to the 2020 Kentucky Derby Day program held without spectators last Sept. 5. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was $155.4 million, up 96% from last year's Derby race.

The Derby day wagering totals for the 14-race card were the second-highest ever, behind $250.9 million bet in 2019.

All-sources handle for Opening Night, Saturday, April 24, through Derby Day, Saturday, May 1, was recorded at $314.6 million.

TwinSpires, the official wagering partner of the Kentucky Derby, recorded preliminary record handle of $62.7 million on Churchill Downs races for the Kentucky Derby Day program, an increase of 66% over the prior year. TwinSpires recorded preliminary record handle on the Kentucky Derby race alone of $40.8 million, up 75% over 2020.

Medina Spirit, owned by Zedan Racing Stables, and bred in Florida by Gail Rice, led from the start, held off a spirited rally from Mandaloun and prevailed in a thrilling finish by a half length. Trainer Bob Baffert secured his seventh Kentucky Derby win eclipsing the record previously shared with Ben Jones. Jockey John Velazquez recorded his fourth Kentucky Derby victory and capped a successful weekend by winning both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.

“Today it was incredibly gratifying to welcome our fans back to Churchill Downs for the 147^th running of the Kentucky Derby,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “We will continue to invest in this iconic event as we create unique and once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the coming years for our guests.”

Churchill Downs introduced two new charity efforts this year. A naturalization ceremony was hosted in the Winner's Circle of Churchill Downs as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky Benjamin Beaton administered the Oath of Allegiance to five new citizens representing five different countries on the day of America's Greatest Race. CDI hosted nearly 300 representatives from Kentucky's Foster Care sector as guests in the first-ever Kentucky Derby Foster Family Initiative partnership with Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and in cooperation with Louisville nonprofits Maryhurst and Boys & Girls Haven.

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Medina Spirit Gives Baffert a Record-Breaking Seventh Derby

LOUISVILLE, KY – Face masks and all, the fans were back at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May–an announced 51,838 of them–and louder than ever. The mint juleps were flowing, the sun was shining and it was Bob Baffert standing in the winner's circle for a record seventh time, passing the legendary Ben Jones at the 147th GI Kentucky Derby.

Zedan Racing Stables overachieving Medina Spirit (Protonico), just a $1,000 OBS Winter Mixed Yearling turned $35,000 OBS July breezer, set the pace and dug down gamely beneath Johnny Velazquez in the stretch to defeat 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) by a half-length at odds of 12-1. It was another half-length back to Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in third. Previously unbeaten champion Essential Quality (Tapit), favored at 5-2, was a close fourth after a wide trip.

“This little horse coming in here, he's always shown he's an overachiever,” Baffert said. “His heart is bigger than his body. When he turned for home, something just told me. He reminded me of Silver Charm. He doesn't know how much he cost. He wouldn't let anyone pass him. Mr. Zedan wanted to come to the Derby with a $35,000 horse. I thought we'd see what happens. This horse, the way he ran, I didn't know he had it in him.”

Baffert continued, “Usually when I come in here, I feel like if I don't win–I bring in these heavy-duty horses. This year, I really enjoyed myself. I came in here under the radar. I thought, well, maybe he'll get a piece of it or something. But Johnny, he kept telling me if he improves off his last race, he'll run well.”

Medina Spirit, an ultra-game, wire-to-wire winner of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Jan. 30, entered the Derby off a pair of second-place finishes, finishing a well-beaten second in both the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 6 and GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 3. The debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 11 was also second in the GIII Sham S. Jan. 2.

Medina Spirit was second behind his highly regarded Baffert-trained stablemate 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in both the Sham and San Felipe. The undefeated Life Is Good was made the 6-1 individual morning-line favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, but was sidelined by ankle chip surgery in March.

Baffert and Velazquez also won last year's COVID-19 pushed back and spectator-free Derby with Authentic over Labor Day weekend. Baffert's other Derby wins include: Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002) and Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).

“You know, it's one of those things where I've never been keeping score, like records and stuff,” Baffert said of passing Jones on the Derby leaderboard. “Like, the Grade I record, I heard about a month ago. It was a super jinx. And we got it today with Gamine. But the seven wins, it's like, I can't believe I won two. It's just–I leave here, like, wow. Can you believe it? Every time we've won, we look at each other, [my wife] Jill and I: Can you believe we won the Kentucky Derby again? And it's exciting. And I have my brother Bill here. My friend Karl Watson and little Bode. When you have your friends around you, it means a lot.”

Velazquez became the eighth rider to win the GI Kentucky Oaks and Derby in the same year after piloting Malathaat (Curlin) to heart-stopping victory Friday. This was Velazquez's third Derby win.

“Every time I asked him to give more he kept fighting on,” Velazquez said. “You couldn't ask for more of a horse. When you ride a horse like this who is competitive you can't ask for anything else.”

He continued, “I liked this little horse. I know he's all heart. Strategy was very simple–break out of there and try to put him in the lead. If somebody wanted to go him faster than me, let him have it. I know we were quick. And the more I looked at the race, the more I studied the race, I knew he was faster than the rest of the horses.”

Medina Spirit found himself somewhat surprisingly loose on the lead after speedy second favorite and three-for-three Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) made a mess of the start.

Velazquez seized the early initiative and got the opening quarter in :23.09 and a half in :46.70 as Mandaloun found a dream spot on the inside in third. Medina Spirit hit the quarter pole in front, to the roar of the crowd, but had a trio of challengers stacked to his outside–Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie, a forward factor throughout, and a four-wide Essential Quality, who raced within striking distance in a wide sixth for most of the way.

Medina Spirit appeared to be growing leg weary as Mandaloun, who shadowed his every move, looked like he'd go right by. But Medina Spirit had something left for the stretch and was all heart from there to bring home the roses.

Founded in 2016, Zedan Racing Stables is the nom de course of Saudi Arabian businessman and philanthropist Amr F. Zedan. Zedan Racing also campaigned 2020 GI Del Mar Debutante S. heroine and $1.35-million OBS Spring graduate Princess Noor (Not This Time).

“This is really surreal,” Zedan said. “I really just can't believe it. On the way into the stretch, I just couldn't see anything. It just went gray, and all of a sudden everybody is jumping on top of me. I don't know. It was emotional. It was surreal. It was just amazing.”

He continued, “I knew he had a heart that's bigger than his body. And all we needed is for him to be up front and just keep fighting because no one was going to pass Medina if Medina really got the lead.”

Agent Gary Young, acting on behalf of Zedan Racing Stables, purchased Medina Spirit for $35,000 after breezing three furlongs in :33 at last year's postponed OBS July Sale. Zedan went to $1.7 million to land a colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Gun Runner earlier this spring at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale.

“With Protonico [sire of Medina Spirit], Mr. Aboughazale, who's a dear friend and he owns Protonico,” Zedan said. “We were done shopping per se during the auction. And then Mr. Aboughazale calls me and says, 'Well, there's this horse by Protonico that I own the sire, and would you want to check him out?' I said absolutely.”

He continued, “So I checked him out and I liked him. I called Gary and said, 'What do you think?' Let's run it by Bob [Baffert]. Bob gave the okay. So we looked at him, agrees everything was fine. And the rest is history.”

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $233 million up 85% from the 2020 Kentucky Derby Day program. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race itself was $155.4 million up 96% from last year's Derby.

Derby Pedigree Notes:

The last time a winner of the Kentucky Derby was bred outside of Kentucky was in 2014 with California Chrome, but it is the state of Florida which ranks second in visits to the hallowed winner's circle with Medina Spirit making it seven. The 11th Triple Crown winner, Affirmed (1978), was the last to hail from Florida, but he is joined by legendary greats Needles (1956), Carry Back (1961), Foolish Pleasure (1975), Unbridled (1990), and Silver Charm (1997).

The TDN's Chris McGrath detailed the success of small breeder Gail Rice last year before Medina Spirit even made his first start. Rice, the mother-in-law of Eclipse-winning rider Jose Ortiz, had also bred last year's GI Ashland S. winner Speech (Mr Speaker) from her small broodmare band.

Rice's former husband, trainer Wayne Rice, purchased Medina Spirit's dam, Mongolian Changa, for $9,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. The filly made six starts at two under his name, winning an eight-furlong maiden special weight at Presque Isle Downs, but retired after bowing a tendon. Rice bred the filly the next year at three and got Medina Spirit as a first and only foal. The Rices divorced and Mongolian Changa was given away, with Medina Spirit himself going through the OBS Winter Mixed Sale ring for a bid of $1,000 from Christy Whitman. He reappeared at last year's OBS July sale, getting a final bid of $35,000 from agent Gary Young on behalf of Zedan Racing Stables after working three furlongs in :33.

While the immediate family is shy of black-type, Mongolian Changa's second dam is a half-sister to MGISW High Yield, who was 15th in the 2000 Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit's fifth dam, the Nijinsky II mare Leap Lively, campaigned as a homebred for Paul Mellon's Rokeby Stables, winning a Group 3 at Ascot and finishing third in the G1 Epsom Oaks 40 years ago. Leap Lively is also the third dam of Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse (City Zip) and from the extended family of GISW Warrior's Reward (Medaglia d'Oro).

Mongolian Changa is by the 2011 GI Blue Grass S. winner Brilliant Speed, a Dynaformer stallion whose 129 foals from four crops include one daughter who has produced a black-type winner. That, of course, is Mongolian Changa with Medina Spirit. Brilliant Speed was standing for $5,000 at Three Chimneys Farm when he was struck by lightning and died in 2016.

Standing for $5,000 at Castleton Lyons in 2021 is the Giant's Causeway stallion Protonico, a MGSW who previously stood at both Taylor Made and Darby Dan. Protonico's first crop is three this year and surely he has some of the most unlikely numbers of any sire of a Derby winner: 18 first-crop 3-year-olds, 10 starters, three winners, and one Kentucky Derby winner.

–Jill Williams

Saturday, Churchill Downs
KENTUCKY DERBY PRESENTED BY WOODFORD RESERVE-GI, $3,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-1, 3yo, 1 1/4m, 2:01.02, ft.
1–MEDINA SPIRIT, 126, c, 3, by Protonico
                1st Dam: Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed
                2nd Dam: Bridled, by Unbridled
                3rd Dam: Holy Niner, by Holy Bull
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($1,000 Ylg '19 OBSWIN; $35,000 2yo '20
OBSOPN). O-Zedan Racing Stables; B-Gail Rice (FL); T-Bob
Baffert; J-John R. Velazquez. $1,860,000. Lifetime Record:
6-3-3-0, $2,175,200. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mandaloun, 126, c, 3, Into Mischief–Brooch, by Empire
Maker. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H.
Cox. $600,000.
3–Hot Rod Charlie, 126, c, 3, Oxbow–Indian Miss, by Indian
Charlie. ($17,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $110,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT).
O-Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC, Strauss Bros Racing
& Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Ltd.; B-Edward A. Cox (KY);
T-Doug F. O'Neill. $300,000.
Margins: HF, HF, HD. Odds: 12.10, 26.90, 5.60.
Also Ran: Essential Quality, O Besos, Midnight Bourbon, Keepmeinmind, Helium, Known Agenda, Highly Motivated, Sainthood, Like the King, Bourbonic, Hidden Stash, Brooklyn Strong, Super Stock, Rock Your World, Dynamic One, Soup and Sandwich. Scratched: King Fury.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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