The news of the sudden death of Kentucky Derby champion Medina's spirit after exercising on Monday morning shocked the horse world. In addition to commemorating the horses bred in Marion County, it also sparked speculation about the cause of death. 

Owner Amr Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert both stated that the 3-year-old horse died of a heart attack in Santa Anita, California, but local veterinary experts warned against guessing until the autopsy was completed to determine the exact cause of death. 

Soon after hearing the news on Monday, Gail Rice, who raises Medina Spirit on a farm in Citra, North Marion County, said that Medina Spirit is a happy horse that has received the best care and love from Baffert and his crew. 

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"I have lost a lot of horses over the years. I have been in this business since 1981, and it did happen," she said. "It happens on racetracks and farms. There are other horses that get sick and die. It's part of our job, just like people. People come and go, they get sick, they get hit by cars, they run in front of the train ." 

Although it was devastating when it happened, Rice said they would celebrate his horse and remember him "his big heart and will to victory". She recalled the three horses in her personal relationship, who died suddenly like the spirit of Medina over the years.

"We must all die one day. We hope this horse will die sooner, but this is our business, this is our love, and these animals are our lives," she said. 

Her statement is especially true in Marion County, the world horse capital, which produces many thoroughbred horses to compete in famous competitions such as Derby and other Triple Crown events. 

In 2015, the horse industry contributed US$2.6 billion to the local economy, and the Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership even initiated a horse participation plan. The head of the project, Louisa Barton, stated in a CEP Facebook post on Monday that the spirit of Medina is "an incredible champion" and that "all the people involved will miss it very much."

Francis Vanlangendonck of Summerfield Sales entrusted the spirit of the Medina to rice in 2019, when the horse was sold for $1,000 at the Ocala Breeders auction. 

"These types of things happen all the time in the horse industry. People die of heart attacks," he said. "Such a thing happened, you can't control it, I can't imagine (Buffett) doing anything he shouldn't. They are testing everything possible." 

Shortly after winning the Kentucky Derby on May 1, Medina Spirit tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone, resulting in Bavert's two-year ban from Churchill Downs and jeopardizing his victory. The investigation is ongoing, and it has not yet announced whether the victory will be maintained. 

Despite the previous controversy and constant speculation about the cause of death, those close to the spirit of Medina hope that he will not be remembered like that. Veterinarians at the University of Florida warn against making assumptions before determining the official cause. 

"Although cardiovascular events are at the top of our list of differential diagnoses for sudden death in horses, we will not know the cause of death in Medina until a complete autopsy is completed," Dr. Alison Morton, Medical Director, UF School of Veterinary Medicine, Large Animal Hospital The person in charge of wrote in an email. 

She said that sudden death caused by cardiovascular events is "uncommon in all types of horses, but it has been widely recognized." 

Dr. Meg Sleeper, a veterinary cardiologist in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at UF, also wrote that there are other possible causes of cardiovascular death, and even attributing the cause to the horse's heart before the autopsy is a guess. 

"Many people would say that dogs, cats, or horses die from a'heart attack' when they die suddenly or accidentally. However, these species rarely have myocardial infarction (just like people)," she wrote. 

Morton also explained that the term is misleading because horses do not experience the type of heart attack that people experience. 

"A more common cardiac event that can cause sudden death in horses is arrhythmia, where the heart suddenly exhibits an abnormal, dysfunctional rhythm and eventually stops," she said. "This is very different from what we think of as a human heart attack, which is more commonly caused by a myocardial infarction, when the blood vessel that supplies the heart muscle is blocked." 

Morton also cited studies that listed other causes of sudden death, including heart failure, overt lung failure, pulmonary hemorrhage, bleeding associated with pelvic fractures or idiopathic vascular rupture and spinal cord injury. 

Some earlier studies reported that sudden deaths accounted for 9%-12% of thoroughbred horse racing deaths, and she assumed that most of the rest were catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures. 

Morton said that sudden death due to cardiac causes "is unpredictable for younger and younger horses," but emphasized the importance of waiting for the official cause to be determined. Nevertheless, she encourages horse owners and trainers to conduct routine veterinary performance checks. 

Christy Whitman bought Medina Spirit in 2019 and sold him to Zedan of OBS in 2020. She has experienced two personal instances of horses falling on the track without warning.  

She said it was uncommon—but not unheard of—and wondered if the cause in this case was a rupture of the aorta. 

"Horse is a living, breathing creature like humans, and seemingly healthy people always die from heart disease and stroke," she said. "There is not necessarily a cause or reason or anyone's fault." 

Whitman hopes to eliminate the rumors that Buffett or anyone close to the horse will do anything leading to death. 

"Buffett doesn't want this to happen. It's not good for him. It's not good for our industry. It's not good for any horse or anyone involved," she said. "This is something that anyone connected with this horse doesn't want to happen." 

Whitman said the Medina spirit brought many people together, from his breeder to the owner, to the person who groomed him and cleaned his stalls. 

"All these people are connected by that special feeling. They are part of great things. That's why horse racing is so special," she said. "I just hate it being turned into a terrible thing, but it's not the case." 

For Whitman, a fairy tale that should have been once in a lifetime turned into a nightmare. 

"I just hope this will not have a negative impact on this horse's heritage, because he is a very special horse," she said. "He never seems to get the respect he deserves, and I hope this will not tarnish his nature and his achievements." 

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.