Medina Spirit Leads All the Way to Give Baffert 7th Derby

Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit fought back after relinquishing the lead to Mandaloun at midstretch to post a half-length to win the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) before a crowd of 51,838.

The victory gave trainer Bob Baffert his record seventh Kentucky Derby victory and rider John Velazquez his fourth.

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Amir Zedan got into horse racing five years ago and purchased several high priced horses in 2020 including the 2-year-old filly Princess Noor, a graded stakes winner. Medina Spirit was a $35,000 purchase last year at the July Ocala Breeders’ Sale.

But Medina Spirit was originally sold for just $1,000 at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale in 2019 and he was bred in Florida by Gail Rice. Rice’s former husband Wayne Rice trained the Derby winner’s dam Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed and she won one of six races. Read more here.

Baffert broke a tie with Ben Jones for most Derby victories with Saturday’s triumph. His previous wins came with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (2015), Triple Crown winner Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020).

Velazquez, who won last year on Authentic had previous wins on Always Dreaming (2017) and Animal Kingdom (2011). Velazquez became the eighth rider to win the Kentucky Oaks and Derby in the same year having piloted Malathaat to victory Friday. The most recent rider to do that was Calvin Borel in 2009.

Medina Spirit broke sharply from the gate but favored Essential Quality and second choice Rock Your World bumped shortly after the start eliminating some pace pressure from Velazquez.

Medina Spirit led the field through fractions of :23.09, :46.70 and 1:11.21 while under mild pressure from Soup and Sandwich with Mandaloun tracking in third. Approaching the far turn, Hot Rod Charlie began an advance along the rail while Essential Quality mounted a bid four wide.

At the head of the stretch, Medina Spirit clung to a tenuous lead over Mandaloun with Hot Rod Charlie three wide and Essential Quality four wide. Mandaloun briefly stuck his head in front at midstretch only to have Medina Spirit regain a lead he never yielded.

Medina Spirit covered the classic mile and a quarter distance in 2:01.02.

The victory was worth $1,860,000 and increased Medina Spirit’s earnings to $2,175,200 with a record of 6-3-3-0.

Medina Spirit is a Florida-bred son of $5,000 stallion Protonico who stands at Castledon Lyons in Kentucky. He won the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill and Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland.

Medina Spirit returned $26.20, $12 and $7.60. Mandaloun, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $23 and $13.40 with Hot Rod Charlie finishing third another half-length back under Flavien Prat and paying $5.20 to show.

Essential Quality was another head back in fourth and followed in order by 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 and Soup and Sandwich.

~ with files from Jennifer Morrison