Kentucky Derby Profile: Medina Spirit
Both our in-house handicapper take a look at all the horses in the Kentucky Derby.
All their results over the past 12 months are listed below along with their Morning Line Odds and the full field of runners for the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby.
This piece is all about the one Bob Baffert horse still standing in the Road to the Kentucky Derby - Medina Spirit. He's got Post Position 8 and the two guys have very differing views on him - as they have done all year long...
- Date
- Race
- Track
- Distance
- Finish
Date
- April 3, 2021
- March 6, 2021
- January 30, 2021
- January 2, 2021
- December 11, 2020
Race
- Santa Anita Derby (G1)
- San Felipe Stakes (G2)
- Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3)
- Sham Stakes (G3)
- MSW
Track
- Santa Anita
- Santa Anita
- Santa Anita
- Santa Anita
- Los Amamitos Race Course
Distance
- 1m 1/8
- 1m 1/16
- 1m 1/16
- 1m
- 5f 1/2
Finish
- 2nd
- 2nd
- 1st
- 2nd
- 1st
- Post Position
- Horse
- Morning Line Odds
- Jockey
- Trainer
Post Position
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11.
- 12.
- 13.
- 14.
- 15.
- 16.
- 17.
- 18.
- 19.
- 20.
Horse
- Known Agenda
- Like the King
- Brooklyn Strong
- Keepmeinmind
- Sainthood
- O Besos
- Mandaloun
- Medina Spirit
- Hot Rod Charlie
- Midnight Bourbon
- Dynamic One
- Helium
- Hidden Stash
- Essential Quality
- Rock Your World
- King Fury
- Highly Motivated
- Super Stock
- Soup and Sandwich
- Bourbonic
Morning Line Odds
- 6-1
- 50-1
- 50-1
- 50-1
- 50-1
- 20-1
- 15-1
- 15-1
- 8-1
- 20-1
- 20-1
- 50-1
- 50-1
- 2-1fav
- 5-1
- 20-1
- 10-1
- 30-1
- 30-1
- 30-1
Jockey
- Irad Ortiz
- Drayden Van Dyke
- Umberto Rispoli
- David Cohen
- Corey Lanerie
- Marcelino Pedroza
- Florent Geroux
- John Velazquez
- Flavien Prat
- Mike Smith
- Jose Ortiz
- Julien Leparoux
- Rafael Bejarano
- Luis Saez
- Joel Rosario
- Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Javier Castellano
- Ricardo Santana Jr.
- Tyler Gaffalione
- Kendrick Carmouche
Trainer
- Todd Pletcher
- Wesley Ward
- Daniel Velazquez
- Robertino Diodoro
- Todd Pletcher
- Greg Foley
- Brad Cox
- Bob Baffert
- Doug O'Neill
- Steve Asmussen
- Todd Pletcher
- Mark Casse
- Victoria Oliver
- Brad Cox
- John Sadler
- Kenny McPeek
- Chad Brown
- Steve Asmussen
- Mark Casse
- Todd Pletcher
Sean's Take...
For the life of me I can’t understand why so many people are still sleeping on Medina Spirit, who has quietly put together one of the strongest Derby resumes in the field. Yes, he was soundly beaten by Rock Your World in the G1 Santa Anita Derby, but it felt like the inside might have been the place to be that day at Santa Anita and Medina Spirit was wide throughout while chasing a rapid pace.
At this point it’s safe to say he’s no superstar, but he just keeps plugging along with quality effort after quality effort, and he has the kind of tactical speed and grinding style that play very well on the first Saturday in May. I locked him in at 13-1 in the last pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and I see no reason to jump off the bandwagon now, though he’ll have to settle for being my second choice in this race.
J.N's Take...
There was a point along the Derby Trail this past season when this son of Protonico was rocketing up everyone’s list as a top contender for Churchill. There is no question that respect for his barn, and the riding of Johnny V is warranted. Records speak for themselves . . . however, that cuts both ways.
When you have given opportunities to shine, it is imperative that you take them, and that is decidedly not what this heralded runner did last out in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). As the prohibitive favorite, he should have cruised to victory at such a low price, but instead he looked like an underlay, as Sadler’s entry smoked him down the lane. How should we measure that experience? Draw a line? Consider it hugely detrimental? Weigh it somewhere in between?
Baffert knows the travails involved, and doubting him is playing with fire. That’s what happened last year when everyone was down on Authentic, and a jockey named Velazquez took his mount to the very pinnacle of success for Spendthrift and MyRacehorse owners. Could this colt flip the script and punt the critics? Surely . . . but he is going to have to find something way deeper, and skepticism remains after a series of near misses.
You can bet on the 147th Kentucky Derby with any of our betting partners via the Race Card below. Just click on the odds of the horse you'd like to back and then select which operator/sign-up bonus you'd like to use. You'll then be taken to their site to complete the sign-up process so you can place your bet on this year's Kentucky Derby...
Kentucky Derby 2021 Racecard
Essential Quality
-
Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Luis Saez /
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Trainer: Brad Cox /
Brad Cox finally has a Derby horse (two actually) but he rolls into Churchill Downs with the favorite. Undefeated and oozes class. 2-1 is short for me but our turf-man has him as his selection.
Rock Your World
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Joel Rosario /
-
Trainer: John Sadler /
A very very impressive winner of the Santa Anita Derby. Installed as the 5-1 second-favorite. Has only run once on dirt and blew away a good field. Not entirely sure if he's the real deal but I know he's got a real chance.
Known Agenda
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Irad Ortiz /
-
Trainer: Todd Pletcher /
Tricky inside Post Position. Arguably the most effected by the PP draw. 6-1 on the Morning Line should drift. Not heavily fancied by the HR.net team
Hot Rod Charlie
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Flavien Prat /
-
Trainer: Doug O'Neill /
A California invader who impressively took out the Louisiana Derby. He may well provide the early speed. Win contender.
Highly Motivated
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Javier Castellano /
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Trainer: Chad Brown /
Plenty of buzz surrounding this Into Mischief colt. Went stride for stride with Essential Quality at the Blue Grass. He will be our editor's pick.
Mandaloun
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Florent Geroux /
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Trainer: Brad Cox /
If you are looking at a value play from the middle of the odds then Mandaloun may well be it. That clunker at the Louisiana Derby has people worried but if was just one of those days - 15-1 could be long.
Medna Spirit
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: John Velazquez /
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Trainer: Bob Baffert /
Bob Baffert's only Derby horse. Was at #1 with our in-house handicapper for the final few weeks of the Prep season. Our editor likes him too. Real game horse who won't let anybody down. 15-1 screams value.
Dynamic One
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Jose Ortiz /
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Trainer: Todd Pletcher /
If Dynamic One is in the mix for the Derby then it'll be quite the surprise. Runner-up to stablemate Bourbonic in the Wood Memorial. Real long-shot.
King Fury
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. /
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Trainer: Kenny McPeek /
Kenny McPeek is a darn good trainer. This horse is getting better with every race. Can he get in and among the front-runners coming down the stretch? I'm dubious but you can't just rule him out.
Midnight Bourbon
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Age: 3 /
-
Jockey: Mike Smith /
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Trainer: Steve Asmussen /
Plenty of tactical speed for a nice horse who seems a step below the top contenders. Could win if everything - and I mean everything - falls his way. Most likely to be in the mix for the exotics if anything however.