Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner known as the Lance Armstrong of horses for his doping and cheating ways, was posthumously stripped of his title by the state racing commission Monday, nearly 3 months after his sudden death while horsing around in California, WDRB reports. Second place horse Mandaloun, who is probably still alive, was awarded the win retroactively.
Though the controversy officially ends here and Medina Spirit has been laid to rest in a glue factory, an undeniable shadow has been cast over the sport of racing. Long known for the wholesomeness of its fans who watch simply for the excitement, the humane treatment of its athletes, and the strong tradition of integrity in the conduct of its team management and commissioners, there are no doubt still some worms crawling around in the system here. There’s a miracle paste for that.