Exam Shows No Definitive Cause of Death for 2021 Kentucky Derby Winner Medina Spirit

The California Horse Racing Board said Friday a necropsy performed on 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit found no definitive cause for the horse's December death.

A necropsy report from the CHRB listed swollen lungs, foam in the windpipe, an enlarged spleen and tissue injuries among the ailments, which the board said are "common in horses dying suddenly," according to the Associated Press.

The CHRB said the findings are "compatible with, but not specific for a cardiac cause of death."

After Medina Spirit died following a Dec. 6 workout at Santa Anita Park in California, trainer Bob Baffert released a statement saying the horse suffered a heart attack.

The necropsy also found the medications in the horse's system, the anti-ulcer medication omeprazole and the diuretic Lasix, were consistent with the attending veterinarian's report. No other drugs were detected, according to the AP.

Medina Spirit edged Mandaloun by a half-length to win the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

He tested positive for corticosteroid betamethasone, which is a legal medication that's not allowed on race day, and it's left the status of his victory in limbo.

Medina Spirit was allowed to continue racing while the process played out. He finished third in the Preakness Stakes to end his Triple Crown bid before winning the Shared Belief Stakes in August and the Awesome Again Stakes in October.

The colt's final race was a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November.

Joe Drape of the New York Times reported racing officials in Kentucky are planning to meet Monday to determine whether the Kentucky Derby win will be vacated.

Meanwhile, Churchill Downs suspended for Baffert for two years saying his "record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing." The ruling prevents the longtime trainer or anyone from his stable to enter the 2022 or 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Following a further review of the necropsy findings, the CHRB will determine whether to take any disciplinary action in the case regarding tracks in its state.