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Essential Quality Wins 2021 Belmont Stakes

    Up until the final furlong, it looked like Hot Rod Charlie was going to win the Belmont Stakes, after setting a blistering pace in the first half-mile, pushed on by Rock Your World and  France Go de Ina.  But Essential Quality started his move just before the final turn  and slowly worked his way to the front, finishing ahead of a dogged and determined Hot Rod Charlie by 1 1/4 lengths.  Essential Quality finished the 1 and 1/2 mile race in 2:27.11, only 3.11 seconds slower than the great Secretariat in 1973.  

   Essential Quality was the betting favorite in both today's Belmont and in the Kentucky Derby.  But the Kentucky gave him a lot of bad racing luck, and he finished 7th, the first defeat in his racing career.  Taking a rest after the Derby, he came roaring back in the Belmont, taking home $800,000 of the $1.5 million in purse monies.

   Hot Rod Charlie, who was third in the Kentucky, and also by-passed the Preakness, took home $280,000 for finishing 11 1/4 lengths in front of Rombauer, the winner of the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago.  Rombauer, who finished 3/4 length ahead of Known Agenda, received $150,000 in purse money for his third-place finish.

Essential Quality wins the 2021 Belmont Stakes

   The rest of the field finished in the following order, with the amount of purse winnings in parentheses: Known Agenda ($100,000); Bourbonic ($60,000); Rock Your World ($45,000); Overtook ($35,000); and France Go de Ina ($30,000).

   With a small field and only three entries in double-digit odds, the payouts for bets were on the small side.  As usual, I always post the payouts for a $2 bet...  Essential Quality paid $4.60 to win; Hot Rod Charlie paid $4.10 to place; and Rombauer paid $3.50 to show.  The Perfecta paid $15; the Trifecta paid $43.40; and the Superfecta paid $121.40.

  *** The only question in this year's Triple Crown now, is whether the Kentucky Thoroughbred Racing Commission will vote to strip Medina Spirit of his win in the Kentucky Derby after testing positive in two separate blood tests for a banned race day drug, namely betamethasone.  Churchill Downs Incorporated has banned trainer Bob Baffert and any horses under his care for racing at their tracks for two years - through the end of Spring racing in 2023. ***

Baffert's Lawyer Confirms Second Split Blood Test Is Positive For Illegal Race Day Drug In Medina Spirit

    W. Craig Robertson III, attorney for thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert, confirmed the news that the second split of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit blood sample tested positive for betamethasone.  Betamethasone is a corticosteroid that is not allowed in horses racing in Kentucky on a race day.  Bob Baffert is standing by his statement that Medina Spirit was treated for dermatitis with the topical cream Otomax, which was recommended by his veterinarian in California.  According to barn records, the colt was treated with this ointment daily from the day after the Santa Anita Derby until the day before the Kentucky Derby.  It is claimed that Baffert and his barn staff were not aware that Otomax contained betamethasone.

   With this information in the open, Churchill Downs Incorporated has suspended Bob Baffert's training and racing privileges at their tracks for 2 years - through the end of Spring racing in 2023.  CDI stated that Bob Baffert trainees have tested positive five times for illegal substances since 2 May 2020, and that was a major cause of concern for them.  Bill Carstanjen, the CEO of CDI, stated:  "CDI has consistently advocated for strict medication regulations so that we can confidently ensure that horses are fit to race and the races are conducted fairly.  Reckless practices and substance violations that jeopardize the safety of our equine and human athletes or compromise the integrity of our sport are not acceptable and as a company we must take measures to demonstrate that they will not be tolerated.  Mr. Baffert's record of testing failures threatens public confidence in Thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby.  Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility."

Medina Spirit at right, leads Mandaloun across the finish line at the

2021 Kentucky Derby.  Now Mandaloun may be declared the winner.

   If the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC)  accepts these findings, the winner of the Kentucky Derby will be announced as Mandaloun, with all other finishers moved up one place, and Medina Spirit placed last for the drug disqualification.

   The KHRC has the sole authority to disqualify Medina Spirit as the winner of the Kentucky Derby, and it is pursuing the completion of its own investigation of the drug test matter in accordance with its own rules and regulations.  Following today's confirmation of the failed test, the stewards will schedule a hearing at which attorneys will be permitted to present information connected to the case.  Chief state steward Barbara Borden could not be reached for comment regarding the scheduling of the hearing.

   If Medina Spirit's win is overturned due to the drug test, he will be only the second "winner" of the Kentucky Derby disqualified for an illicit drug.  Dancer's Image was disqualified in 1968 after testing positive for  "bute" - phenylbutazone - an anti-inflammatory medication.