PSA: Your Kentucky Derby Medina Spirit bet will stand even if horse is stripped of title

Whew.

If you bet a bunch of cash on Medina Spirit — who won the 2021 Kentucky Derby but who is under investigation after a positive drug test for betamethasone and could be stripped of his title if a second positive confirms it — don’t worry about having to give it back.

For one, there’s no way Churchill Downs or any other sports book to track down each and every bettor and ask for the money back, mostly because that would be hilarious (“Uh, hey Charles, can we have our $30 back? Appreciate it!”) and it’s possible everyone spent their winnings. For another, this is just how it is: once the race is officially called, it’s all over.

As the New York Times wrote, it’s true not just for situations like horse racing:

This statute of limitations applies to other kinds of sports wagering. When Reggie Bush returned his 2005 Heisman Trophy five years later in the wake of a recruiting scandal, none of those who bet on him to win it had to return their profits. Entire teams can be stripped of their moments of triumph. Bettors cannot.

Yes, Mandaloun — who finished second — would technically be the winner, but if there are legal proceedings and such, that could take a while.

Here’s a quote from BetMGM data analyst John Ewing via Yahoo Sports that should make you feel even better:

“All bets will stand as settled. The race result has already been determined official and paid. Disqualifications from positive drug tests will not change the results.”

That’s that! Your bet is safe.