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The True Story Of The 2021 Kentucky Derby: Why The 6:57 PM Post Time Was Only The Beginning Of A Scandal

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For fans looking back at one of the most controversial races in history, the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2021, officially had a post time of 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). That time marked the start of a dramatic 1 ¼ mile race at Churchill Downs that would ultimately be decided not by a photo finish, but by a legal and regulatory battle that lasted for months. As of today, December 18, 2025, the 2021 Derby is remembered less for its start time and more for the unprecedented scandal that changed its official result and tarnished the reputation of one of horse racing's biggest names. The race, which was broadcast live on NBC, saw the original winner, Medina Spirit, cross the finish line first, securing a historic victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. However, the celebration was short-lived, as a post-race drug test initiated a chain of events that would redefine the official results and the integrity of the sport. The exact moment the gates opened at 6:57 p.m. ET was merely the prelude to a scandal that captivated the world of sports.

The 2021 Kentucky Derby: A Race Against Time and Controversy

The Kentucky Derby, often called "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," is an event defined by its precise timing. The 2021 edition was the 147th running, held at its traditional home, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The official schedule for the day, Saturday, May 1, 2021, was as follows:
  • Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021
  • Full Race Coverage Start: 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC (with earlier coverage on NBCSN)
  • Official Post Time (Gate Opening): Approximately 6:57 p.m. ET
  • Distance: 1 ¼ miles (the "Run for the Roses")
  • Attendance: The event saw a return to significant spectator numbers after the restricted 2020 Derby, with a crowd of 51,838 fans.
  • Weather: The conditions were ideal for racing, with clear skies and a high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the post time of 6:57 p.m. ET is the factual answer to the most common query, the real story of the 2021 Derby unfolded long after the race had concluded. The initial victory by the longshot Medina Spirit, a horse with 12-1 odds, was a feel-good story that quickly devolved into a major doping scandal.

Medina Spirit's Disqualification: The Aftermath of the Post Time

The drama of the 2021 Kentucky Derby reached a fever pitch when, just over a week after the race, news broke that Medina Spirit had failed a post-race drug test. This revelation was the first step in a lengthy process that ultimately stripped the horse of his title.

The Drug and the Ruling

The substance found in Medina Spirit's system was betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid. While the drug is permitted for therapeutic use, it is strictly prohibited on race day, and the sample showed a concentration of 21 picograms, which violated the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) rules. The horse’s trainer, Bob Baffert, one of the most decorated figures in horse racing history, vehemently denied intentionally administering the drug, claiming it came from an ointment used to treat a skin condition. Regardless of the intent, the positive test result triggered a formal investigation by the KHRC.

The New Official Winner: Mandaloun

The official ruling from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Board of Stewards came down on February 21, 2022—more than nine months after the race. The commission disqualified Medina Spirit, officially nullifying his win. This decision propelled the second-place finisher, Mandaloun, to the winner's circle. The official revised results of the 2021 Kentucky Derby are as follows:
  1. Mandaloun (Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Florent Geroux)
  2. Hot Rod Charlie (Trainer: Doug O'Neill; Jockey: Flavien Prat)
  3. Essential Quality (Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Luis Saez)
Trainer Brad Cox achieved a rare milestone by becoming the first Louisville native to train a Kentucky Derby winner, albeit retroactively. The disqualification also meant that the entire purse money was redistributed, and all bets placed on Mandaloun to win were paid out. The controversy also led to a two-year ban for Bob Baffert from Churchill Downs racetrack.

The Lasting Legacy of the 147th Derby

The 2021 Kentucky Derby will forever be an anomaly in the history of the Triple Crown races. It is only the third time in the Derby’s history that a winner has been disqualified, following the rulings against Dancer’s Image in 1968 and the unprecedented on-track disqualification of Maximum Security in 2019. The scandal surrounding Medina Spirit, who tragically collapsed and died in December 2021, amplified the pressure on the racing industry to address drug testing and transparency. The event served as a major catalyst for the implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), a federal law designed to create uniform safety and anti-doping standards across the sport. The memory of the 2021 Derby is a complex one. While the *time* of the race—6:57 p.m. ET—is a matter of record, the event itself is a timeless lesson in the high-stakes world of Thoroughbred racing, where a moment of glory can be erased by a single, controversial test result. The official winner is Mandaloun, but the story of Medina Spirit and the fight over betamethasone is the true legacy of the 147th Run for the Roses.
The True Story of the 2021 Kentucky Derby: Why the 6:57 PM Post Time Was Only the Beginning of a Scandal
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what time is the kentucky derby 2021

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