$1,000 Medina Spirit Gives Baffert A Record Seventh Set Of Roses

The roar of even the smaller crowd of 51,838 beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs sounded louder than ever, after the global pandemic forced the delayed 2020 edition to be held without spectators on Sept. 5. Returning to it’s rightful place on the first Saturday in May, the end result was the same: Hall of Famers Bob Baffert and

In this 147th edition, the horse was the bargain buy Medina Spirit ($26.20), owned by Derby first-timer Amr bin Fareer bin Mohammed bin Zedan. The son of Protonico cost just $1,000 as a yearling, and Zedan purchased him for $35,000 as a 2-year-old.

John Velazquez returns to the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle aboard Medina Spirit

John Velazquez teamed up to win the Run for the Roses.

Gail Rice, breeder of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit

Medina Spirit grabbed the lead at the start from post position eight, set all the fractions, and fended off challenges from Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie, and the favored, previously undefeated champion Essential Quality through the length of the stretch to win by about a halflength. He ran 1 1/4 miles over Churchill Downs’ fast main track in 2:01.02.

“That little horse has got a heart,” Baffert said. “(Velazquez) told me last night, ‘Don’t underestimate this horse, he’s better than you think, Bob. Don’t worry, we’ll get the job done.’”

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 was bred in Florida by Gail Rice, mother of Eclipse Award finalist Taylor Rice (apprentice jockey) and mother-in-law to top jockey Jose Ortiz, out of the Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa. The mare failed to produce milk when Medina Spirit was first born, and Rice had to turn to her only other broodmare, Scribbling Sarah, for assistance. The young Medina Spirit thrived, and his own mom started producing milk several hours later. Unfortunately, Rice’s divorce forced the sale of Medina Spirit as a yearling. He brought the bottomdollar bid of $1,000 at the OBS Winter Mixed sale in early 2019, and she had no choice but to let him go. “I kept telling people, ‘This horse can run!’” Rice said. “Just his body and his leg, and the intelligent attitude he had; I always thought he was special.”