Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Medina Spirit

Apr 17, 2021 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit currently sits in eighth place on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series with 74 points. The dark bay colt has finished first or second in each of his five lifetime efforts to date for conditioner Bob Baffert, with a career line that reads 5-2-3-0, $315,200.

Medina Spirit debuted on Dec. 11 at Los Alamitos and made good at first asking with a three-length score. Thrown into the stakes ranks second time out, he was second best in the Sham S. (G3) at Santa Anita behind the superb Life Is Good while going off at 9-1.

He picked up his initial graded stakes trophy when gamely holding off a pair of tough foes in the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3), prior to running second to Life Is Good once again in the San Felipe S. (G2). His most recent effort saw the colt come home clearly second best in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his first performance at 1 1/8 miles.

Medina Spirit was bred in the Sunshine State by Gail Rice and passed through the auction ring on a pair of occasions. The son of Protonico went for just $1,000 at the 2019 OBS Winter Mixed Sale, and then he fetched a final bid of $35,000 as a two-year-old at OBS.

He is the first graded star produced from the winning Brilliant speed mare Mongolian Changa. This is the same female line as three-time Grade 1 victor High Yield, who was successful in the 2000 Fountain of Youth S. (G1) and Blue Grass S. (G1), as well as the 1999 Hopeful S. (G1).

Medina Spirit has posted Brisnet Speed figures of 94-97-94-93-98 to this point of his career. The gritty sophomore has displayed good early presence as well as a stubbornness to stay a route of ground this campaign. His catalog page doesn’t do much to inspire, but the colt has proven himself in each career assignment to be considered among the better horses in his crop.

The presence of Bob Baffert makes Medina Spirit an interesting longshot at Churchill Downs on May 1 as he will surely be rounding up to a peak showing beneath the Twin Spires. And it would be a fascinating story for a $1,000 yearling to achieve success on the biggest stage in the Run for the Roses.