Will horse racing be damaged by this?

The most likely answer is yes. The sport is constantly the subject of speculation as to how honest it is, especially by those who bet on it. It didn't help when trainers Jason Servis, who conditioned Maximum Security, Jorge Navarro and 25 others were federally indicted in 2020 for various crimes including doping of their horses. Navarro has pleaded guilty, while Servis continues to fight the charges.

The spike in deaths at Santa Anita in 2019 was the catalyst for increased scrutiny from outside the business and reform from within.

While deaths have been greatly reduced in Southern California, thanks to measures by the CHRB and the Stronach Group, horses keep dying. This month, Laurel Race Track in Maryland has temporarily shut down after seven horses died in a short period of time.

Regardless of the results of the Medina Spirit necropsy, and regardless of if there should be any blame, the temperature will be raised on the industry to keep horses from dying. How the sport will survive that, especially with other betting opportunities such as sports gambling, remains to be seen.