Bob Baffert was suspended mainly because his horse Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone, a substance prohibited in a horse's system on race day under Kentucky law. This positive drug test led to Medina Spirit's disqualification months after winning the Derby, making it a high-profile doping case. Baffert initially denied wrongdoing but later acknowledged responsibility for the incident, stating the substance was in an ointment used to treat the horse's skin condition. Because of this and other medication violations, Baffert faced a suspension that lasted three years from Churchill Downs, including an extension after legal appeals. The suspension was lifted in July 2024 after Baffert accepted responsibility and completed the penalty, allowing his return to Churchill Downs races, including the Kentucky Derby in 2025.