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<ul><li>Here are the <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> that are fighting for menstrual hygiene awareness in India. </li><li>In India, while <keyword id="555572" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstruation">menstruation</keyword> is still taboo in several regions, a wave of change has been seen through Indian films and startups.</li></ul>In India, menstruation is still a taboo and women still fight many stigmas. From superstitions that keep them away from the kitchen or holy places, to traditions that restrict them to the household, <keyword id="45804" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="period">period</keyword> is still a tough subject in India. <br /><br />But a wave of change is coming in. Companies now allow ‘period days’ where women can take the day off if they suffer from pain while menstruating. <br /><br />The otherwise stereotypical movie business which stays away from relevant topics, welcomed movies on menstruation like Padman. The movie ‘Period. End of Sentence’, won an Oscar for the best documentary short film. The movie shows Indian women who come together to build accessible menstrual hygiene products.<br /><br />The Indian startup industry is not too far either with apps that help track periods to building products for women’s hygiene. On <keyword id="4584427" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-menstrual-hygiene-day">World Menstrual Hygiene Day</keyword>, here’s a look at Indian startups that are working on this topic. <br /><br /><strong><keyword id="4606906" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nyra">Nyra</keyword> App</strong><br /><br />Vivant is a B2B data driven healthcare startup based out of Singapore. On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the startup launched Nyra an app that can be used by women to track their period, fertility, ovulation, mood, lifestyle and physical activity. <br /><br />“In India it is estimated that around 23 million girls have dropped out of school due to menstruation and lack of awareness of women’s health issues. Nyra aims to help address this by giving women everywhere access to feminine health information and advice, and control over their feminine health journey. We have initially launched the app to include Hindi, but are actively looking to make the app available in other vernacular languages,” said Adrit Raha, CEO, Vivant.<br /><br /><strong><keyword id="7326219" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sirona">Sirona</keyword></strong><br /><br />Gurugram-based PeeBuddy which has been working on women’s hygiene with its disposable, portable urination device for women has also launched Sirona, a range of products for menstrual hygiene. The products introduced by Sirona include herbal feminine pain relief patches, oxo-degradable disposal bags, tampons, reusable menstrual cups, panty liners etc.<br /><br />Sirona is already present in 150 outlets across Delhi-NCR through retailers. It plans to amplify its presence to 5 cities by FY21.<br /><br /><strong>FLOH</strong><br /><br />FLOH is a feminine health and hygiene brand by Visionaari, a Delhi-based personal care startup. It has its own line of tampons, and recently also launched Crampfree – herbal period pain relief patches. <br /><br />“Since its inception, making sure women forget that they are on their period has been the core of FLOH’s ideology. As menstrual cramps affect most of the women out there, it was our natural progression to address this problem. Just like FLOH tampons, Crampfree will change the way women perceive their periods, helping them have a bloody good period,” said Gauri Singhal, Founder and CEO, Visionaari. <br /><br /><strong>Azah</strong><br /><br />The organic wellness startup Azah produces and sells cotton sanitary pads. According to the company, these sanitary pads are fabricated with the finest organic cotton and do not contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine, dioxins, or artificial fragrances. <br /><br />The startup, which was founded by engineering graduates, Shashwat Diesh and Aqib Mohammed, in November 2018 had recently raised an angel investment of $200,000. <br /><br /><strong>See Also:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international-womens-day-indian-women-still-a-long-way-off-from-empowerment/articleshow/68313107.cms">Women’s day in numbers: 9 grim reminders that Indian women are still a long way off from empowerment</a><br />

In a country where menstruation is still a taboo, Indian startups are breaking stereotypes

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Minnesota state trooper fatally shot Ricky Cobb II during a July 31 traffic stop.</li><li>Bodycam footage reveals that the officers did not explain to Cobb why he needed to exit the vehicle.</li></ul><p>Bodycam footage released Tuesday shows that the three officers involved in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop did not explain to him why he needed to exit his vehicle before opening fire. </p><p>Police officer Ryan Londregan shot and killed Cobb just after 2 a.m. on July 31 during a traffic stop involving three state troopers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cobb did not have a warrant out for his arrest, but was wanted on suspicion of violating an order for protection, Col. Matt Langer said during an Aug. 1 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFIyX0Ucfas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press conference</a>.</p><p>All three officers involved are on paid administrative leave, according to Langer.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFIyX0Ucfas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodycam footage</a> shows trooper Brett Seide approaching Cobb's driver-side window, and then asking him to exit the vehicle. Londregan stood at Cobb's passenger-side window during the interaction. </p><p>When Cobb asked why he needed to exit the vehicle, Seide responded: "I'm going to explain it all when you step out." </p><p>"If you all think there's some funny shit with me, you all can tell me right now, so I can call my attorney," Cobb replied.</p><p>Seide then asked Cobb to hand over his keys, which Cobb did not. </p><p>"Step out of the vehicle, I'm going to explain it all when you step out," Seide repeated. Seide and Londregan proceeded to open the doors to Cobb's car. </p><p>Londregan then pointed his gun at Cobb, bodycam footage shows, and again ordered him out of the car. Londregan then fired at Cobb as he began to drive the vehicle away. </p><p>The troopers got permission to pursue Cobb, according to the footage, and later found his car crashed into a median. The officers began to administer medical attention to Cobb while a third trooper on the scene, Garrett Erickson, held Cobb at gunpoint. </p><p>Cobb's mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ricky-cobb-george-floyd-shooting-police-b7737e66f52d2d819bce6e60f1a9e53f">told the Associated Press</a> that she would like to see all three officers fired.</p><p>"I'm exhausted. My heart is heavy every day for the last three days," she said. "Waking up, I have migraines. And I'm hurt. I would like those officers to man up."</p><p>Local activists like Trahern Crews, a lead organizer for Black Lives Matter in Minnesota, have also called for the officers to face further disciplinary action. </p><p>"He should not have been killed like that," Crews <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-george-floyd-shooting-police-race-e0771eb6bdd3f43b92adb15c4487cbb8">told the Associated Press.</a> "It just reminds us that driving while Black is really dangerous in the state of Minnesota."</p>

The officers involved in the fatal shooting of a Black man in Minneapolis never informed him why he had to exit his vehicle, bodycam footage shows

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Racehorse trainer <keyword id="2580702" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bob-Baffert">Bob Baffert</keyword> has been suspended by the New York Racing Association. </li><li>Baffert's horse, <keyword id="11262532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="medina-spirit">Medina Spirit</keyword>, won the <keyword id="1061841" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kentucky-Derby">Kentucky Derby</keyword> but tested positive for a banned drug.</li><li>Baffert denied that he drugged his horse and later said ointment caused the positive test.</li></ul><p>Racehorse trainer Bob Baffert has been temporary suspended from the New York Racing Association, after his horse, Medina Spirit, tested positive for a banned steroid. </p><p>Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby on May 1, but then the horse tested positive for <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-drug-test-medina-spirit-failed-2021-5">the steroid betamethasone</a>. The drug is legal as a therapeutic, but testing positive on a race day is a violation.  </p><p>"In order to maintain a successful Thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public, and racing participants," New York Racing Association (NYRA) president and CEO Dave O'Rourke said in a statement. "That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of Thoroughbred racing."</p><p>The length of Baffert's <keyword id="6371442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Suspension">suspension</keyword> will depend on the results of an investigation into the Kentucky Derby. For whatever time period the suspension lasts, the NYRA won't accept entries or provide stall space to anyone employed by Baffert's stables at three courses: Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, or Aqueduct Racetrack.</p><p>The move also prevents Baffert from entering any of his horses at the upcoming Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the <keyword id="1087838" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Triple-Crown">triple crown</keyword> of <keyword id="149956" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="horse-racing">horse racing</keyword>. </p><p> The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is awaiting a a second positive test - called a "split sample" - before rendering a final ruling.</p><p>Baffert has had a string of doping scandals: Five of his horses have failed drug tests since 2019. Illegal doses of betamethasone were also found in Baffert's horse Gamine, who finished third in last fall's Kentucky Oaks. The horse was then disqualified after the test, and Baffert was fined $1,500.</p><div type="image" title="Medina Spirit" height="2484" width="3312" msid="82725740" hostid="261"></div><p>After Medina Spirit's drug test, Baffert denied giving the horse betamethasone, and even said the horse was <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-winner-peds-trump-blames-election-2021-5">a victim of "cancel culture,"</a> during an appearance on Fox <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword>. But two days later, Baffert <a href="https://www.insider.com/medina-spirit-positive-drug-test-ointment-possible-cause-bob-baffert-2021-5">said</a> the test results likely came from an anti-fungal ointment that was applied to Medina Spirit prior to the race. </p><p>On Sunday, Baffert issued a public apology for his initial response to the negative news about his horse. </p><p>"I acknowledge that I am not perfect, and I could have better handled the initial announcement of this news," Baffert said. "Medina Spirit's Kentucky Derby win was so personally meaningful to me, and I had such a wonderful experience on May 1 at Churchill Downs, that when I got the news of the test results, it truly was the biggest gut punch I had ever received and I was devastated."</p>

The trainer behind this year's Kentucky Derby winner was suspended after the horse tested positive for a steroid

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Medina Spirit, the <keyword id="12697935" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kentucky-derby" source="Orion">Kentucky Derby</keyword> winner disgraced for <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-winner-medina-spirit-failed-drug-test-confirmed-officials-2021-6">failing a post-race drug test</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/medina-spirit-dead-kentucky-derby-winner-failed-drug-test-controversy-2021-12">has died</a>.</li><li>The horse's death has once again shed a light on the dark underbelly of thoroughbred racing.</li></ul><p>Medina Spirit, the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby who was shrouded in controversy following a failed drug test, <a href="https://www.insider.com/medina-spirit-dead-kentucky-derby-winner-failed-drug-test-controversy-2021-12">died on Monday</a>.</p><p>The lightning-fast colt collapsed during the final stretch of his workout at famed California track Santa Anita. He was just 3 years old at the time of his sudden death — a far cry from the 25-to-30-year average life expectancy of a modern domesticated horse.</p><div type="image" title="Medina Spirit." height="1663" width="2500" msid="88173192" hostid="261"></div><p>Medina Spirit's premature death is jarring. And given his widespread notoriety for <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-winner-medina-spirit-failed-drug-test-confirmed-officials-2021-6">testing positive for an illicit substance</a> after winning <keyword id="11930968" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="horse-racing" source="Orion">horse racing</keyword>'s most prestigious event, Medina Spirit's untimely demise is perhaps <em>the </em>most prominent example of a racehorse gone too soon.</p><p>But he's far from the only racehorse to die before his time, and he isn't even the only young horse to die under his trainer's care.</p><p>The death of Medina Spirit is once again shedding light on the dark underbelly of thoroughbred racing — and raising questions about the morality of the sport.</p><div type="image" title="medina spirit" height="2100" width="3000" msid="88173193" hostid="261"></div><h2>Medina Spirit's trainer has achieved incredible success — but the ethics have been murky</h2><p>Medina Spirit's owner, the Saudi Arabian businessman and venture capitalist Amr Zedan, entrusted the young Dark Bay into the care of <keyword id="12697936" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bob-baffert" source="Orion">Bob Baffert</keyword>. The 68-year-old is well-known in the horse racing world as one of the highest-achieving trainers in the sport.</p><p>His resume speaks for itself. Baffert's <keyword id="12128909" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="horses" source="Orion">horses</keyword> have won a record seven Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakness Stakes, and three Belmont Stakes. And both horses who have earned the illustrious Triple Crown in the modern era — American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify three years later — trained under the 2009 inductee to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.</p><div type="image" title="Bob Baffert." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173195" hostid="261"></div><p>But his reputation doesn't solely extend to his success on the track.</p><p>The Nogales, Arizona, native has a questionable ethical history. In just one year, five of Baffert's trainees were found to have banned substances in their systems. And the series of failed drug tests began just two years after Baffert's second Triple Crown winner, Justify, failed a drug test mere weeks before winning the 2018 Kentucky Derby.</p><p>Had those in charge followed the rules of horse racing as written, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/sports/horse-racing/justify-drug-test-triple-crown-kentucky-derby.html">The New York Times reported</a> more than a year later, Justify would have been banned from running at Churchill Downs. Instead, the horse — and Baffert, too — went on to achieve the ultimate glory of winning the Triple Crown.</p><div type="image" title="Bob Baffert walks Triple Crown winner Justify." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173197" hostid="261"></div><p>Over four decades, nearly 30 horses failed drug tests while training under Baffert, according to the Association of Racing Commissioners International. A litany of excuses and ever-shifting goalposts have allowed the white-haired multi-millionaire to continue his dominance of the sport.</p><p>"He'll do anything to win, and he's got all his bases covered politically," Barry Irwin, owner of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/06/18/bob-baffert-horse-deaths-drug-violations/">The Washington Post</a>. "And because of that, he has become arrogant as hell."</p><p>"He's Mr. Teflon."</p><h2>Baffert's reign has come at a significant cost; at least 75 horses have died in his care since 2000</h2><div type="image" title="Bob Baffert (right) looks on during training at Churchill Downs." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173199" hostid="261"></div><p>This year, a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/06/18/bob-baffert-horse-deaths-drug-violations/">bombshell investigation from The Washington Post</a> revealed that Baffert is among the trainers with the highest number of horse fatalities in California. Only two horse trainers in the entire state have racked up more equine deaths than Baffert, but the sport's most prominent winner has the highest rate of fatalities per races run.</p><p>Monty Roberts, a trainer who has been vocal about the need for reform in the sport for the benefit of the animals, told The Post that "if it surprised me, it would be that I expected more" fatalities from Baffert's camp.</p><p>"Bob Baffert has moved his way up the ladder to the extent that he has the most influential, the wealthiest owners in the industry, that he takes on the highest-quality horses possible — because he wins races," Roberts added. "And he pushes the envelope to the extent that they give their lives for his bank account."</p><div type="image" title="Bob Baffert with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah." height="1833" width="2500" msid="88173200" hostid="261"></div><p>Only once has Baffert faced a serious investigation into his conduct related to his horses' deaths. In 2013, seven of his horses mysteriously dropped dead in rapid succession. An <a href="http://www.chrb.ca.gov/veterinary_reports/baffert_sudden_death_report_final_1121.pdf">investigation from the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB)</a> found that the horses all had thyroxine in their systems. Thyroxine is a medication used to treat conditions rarely, if ever, seen among racehorses.</p><p><a href="https://equimed.com/news/health/study-reveals-thyroxine-detrimental-to-racing-performance-and-horse-health">Studies</a> have suggested that unnecessary use of thyroxine can result in serious, often fatal heart conditions in horses. But trainers looking to win races and give their horses any possible edge have administered the drug to help boost the horses' metabolisms.</p><p>Baffert himself told the CHRB as part of the 2013 investigation that "he had used thyroxine for about over five years because he thought the medication helped 'build up' his horses." Most, if not all, of his horses had been administered the drug in their food.</p><div type="image" title="Betfair Hollywood Park, the facility where seven of Bob Baffert's horses died in rapid succession, closed in 2013." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173202" hostid="261"></div><p>Still, Baffert faced no repercussions for the seven sudden horse deaths at Hollywood Park. Though the final report said the rapid fatalities were "undeniably exceptional," investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing and could not determine "a definitive explanation for the highly unusual sudden death clustering."</p><p>Reporting from The Post, however, suggests that the veterinary official responsible for official clearing Baffert of any culpability may have feared for their job while investigating one of horse racing's most powerful individuals. Their journalists discovered "a push to have the veterinary official removed from office, supported by a trade group with Baffert among its directors."</p><h2>Medina Spirit's miraculous rise and rapid downfall could finally spur Baffert's ouster</h2><p>Years after his 2013 investigation from the CHRB, Baffert took on a markedly ambitious project when Zedan asked him to turn the 2-year-old horse he bought for just $35,000 into a champion. As <a href="https://www.si.com/horse-racing/2021/05/02/medina-spirit-kentucky-derby-bob-baffert-john-velasquez">Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde</a> wrote after the Kentucky Derby, most horses competing in top-tier thoroughbred racing command hundreds of thousands of dollars for purchase.</p><div type="image" title="Media Spirit owner Amr Zedan (center) walks behind his horse before the 146th Preakness Stakes." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173203" hostid="261"></div><p>Not Medina Spirit. He was the definition of an underdog, defying the odds — 12-1 heading into the Derby — to win horse racing's most prestigious race.</p><p>But the feel-good story of David outpacing a stampede of high-priced Goliaths fell apart before the ink was dry in the history books; <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> got out that Medina Spirit had <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-drug-test-medina-spirit-failed-2021-5">failed a post-race drug test</a> just days after he'd crossed the finish line a half-length ahead of Mandaloun. The test showed that Medina Spirit had the banned substance betamethasone, an injectable corticosteroid that helps reduce pain and swelling in horses' joints, in his system.</p><p>But Baffert vehemently denied the doping allegations, even going so far as to insinuate that he had been framed.</p><div type="image" title="Bob Baffert speaks to the media." height="1660" width="2500" msid="88173204" hostid="261"></div><p>"We did not give it to him," Baffert said just after Medina Spirit's positive test. "The vet, no one, has ever treated him with it. This is a gut punch for something I didn't do. It's disturbing. … I don't know what's going on in racing right now, but there's something not right."</p><p>"I don't feel embarrassed," he added. "I feel like I was wronged. We're going to do our own investigation."</p><p>Two days later, <a href="https://www.insider.com/medina-spirit-positive-drug-test-ointment-possible-cause-bob-baffert-2021-5">Baffert reversed course</a>, attributing the test results to an anti-fungal ointment applied to Medina Spirit to treat a rash before the race. When a laboratory at the University of California, Davis, confirmed the failed test a month after the Derby, <a href="https://www.insider.com/kentucky-derby-winner-medina-spirit-failed-drug-test-confirmed-officials-2021-6">disqualification was — and remains — all but certain</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Medina Spirit" height="2487" width="3730" msid="88173205" hostid="261"></div><p>Medina Spirit was set to lose the title, with Baffert poised to relinquish the record for most-ever Kentucky Derby victories. Churchill Downs suspended Baffert and his barn from entering any horses into races at their track for two years. And the New York Racing Association — which oversees Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, and Aqueduct Racetrack — "took emergency action in May to suspend Bob Baffert from racing or training" at its facilities, NYRA Senior Director of Communications Patrick McKenna told Insider.</p><p>"The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is committed to protecting the sport's integrity and ensuring it is conducted safely," he added. "In furtherance of those same goals, NYRA is moving forward with an independent hearing beginning on January 24 to determine whether Mr. Baffert's actions warrant the suspension of his privilege to participate at NYRA."</p><p>Two weeks after the Derby, the disgraced horse lost whatever chance he still had for a Triple Crown by finishing third at Preakness Stakes. He placed in several less-esteemed races after that, but the loss at Pimlico seemed to divert attention away from Medina Spirit and Baffert.</p><div type="image" title="AP21131583276505 (1)" height="683" width="1024" msid="88173207" hostid="261"></div><p>That is, until the horse's untimely death this week.</p><p>"My entire barn is devastated by this news," Baffert told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/12/06/medina-spirit-horse-death/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">The Washington Post</a>. "Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all, and we are deeply mourning his loss. I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit."</p><p>While Baffert told The Post that Medina Spirit died of a heart attack, animal rights groups and <a href="http://www.chrb.ca.gov/CHRBDocuments/press_releases/press-release-Statement-medina.pdf">regulators</a> alike insisted that the equine's "cause of death cannot be determined until the necropsy and toxicology tests have been completed."</p><p>In a statement provided to Insider, <keyword id="12215130" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="peta" source="Orion">PETA</keyword> Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said the organization "urges Santa Anita and Del Mar officials to bar Baffert, pending the outcome of an investigation and a necropsy."</p><div type="image" title="Medina Spirit at Churchill Downs." height="1667" width="2500" msid="88173208" hostid="261"></div><p>"It's premature to say that Medina Spirit died of a heart attack or what the true cause of his fatal collapse was, given that many of trainer Bob Baffert's horses have suddenly dropped dead," Guillermo continued. "All of Medina Spirit's veterinary records must be seized, and a thorough investigation must be conducted.</p><p>"Baffert's attorneys must not be allowed to control the narrative."</p><h2>The dark underbelly of horse racing is not limited to one bad actor</h2><p>What happened to Medina Spirit is not new or particularly uncommon. In a sport where any slight advantage may be worth millions of dollars, trainers have a significant incentive to bend the rules and compromise the long-term wellness of their horses in pursuit of favorable short-term results.</p><p>Take Santa Anita, the racetrack where Medina Spirit died on Monday. In 2019 alone, 37 horses died while training or racing at the Arcadia, California, facility, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/12/06/medina-spirit-history/">The Washington Post</a>. While a CHRB investigation into the matter found no evidence of criminal activity, the board found that many of the horses had ailments related to over-exercise.</p><div type="image" title="Horses racing at Santa Anita Park." height="1000" width="1400" msid="88173209" hostid="261"></div><p>The CHRB also found that "many of the trainers who worked at Santa Anita felt pressured to race their horses despite their health," according to The Post.</p><p>Medina Spirit's demise reeks of a similar stench. But whether or not misconduct is at the heart of his untimely death — and whether or not Baffert is held responsible — the rot of thoroughbred racing does not start or end there. </p><p>In The Washington Post's data mentioned above and analysis of horse deaths in California, Baffert ranked third-most in total deaths since 2000. Six other trainers accounted for more than 50 equine deaths in that span, and in total, the 10-worst offenders in the Golden State had 617 dead horses on their hands.</p><p>And that's only accounting for 10 trainers in a single state.</p><div type="image" title="Medina Spirit (center) peeks from his stall at Pimlico." height="1874" width="2500" msid="88173210" hostid="261"></div><p>When a racehorse of Medina Spirit's stature suddenly drops dead at three years old, it's tempting to focus attention on weeding out the bad actors who may be at fault. But with horses receiving dangerous cocktails of unwarranted — if not illicit — drugs and being worked to death all across the sport, it's clear Baffert's conduct is a symptom of a much larger disease.</p><p>Congress took aim at those larger issues by passing the <a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-116HR133SA-RCP-116-68.pdf#page=5448">Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020</a>. The legislation, which takes effect in July of 2022, focuses on "developing and implementing a horseracing anti-doping and medication control program and a racetrack safety program" within the United States.</p><p>It's a step in the right direction, to be sure. But so long as the sport continues to incentivize short-term success at the expense of the health and wellness of racehorses themselves, competitors will surely find innovative ways to push ethical and legal boundaries in pursuit of wealth and glory.</p><p>All at the expense of horses like Medina Spirit.</p>

The death of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was at least the 75th under Bob Baffert and illuminates the dark underbelly of horse racing

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Molly Riley/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>California Chrome could skip the Belmont Stakes and abandon the race to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years over a nasal strip ban, his trainer Art Sherman <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/sports/horse-racing-holds-its-breath-over-a-nasal-strip.html?hpw&amp;rref=sports">told reporters on Sunday.</a></p>
<p>The governing body the controls the Belmont, the New York Racing Association, requires horses to get special approval from the stewards to use equipment like nasal strips.</p>
<p>California Chrome wore a strip - a small nose patch that is said to help breathing - en route to wins at both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.</p>
<p>The NYRA <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/chrome-chase-crown-jeopardy-nasal-strips-article-1.1796913">will announce a ruling</a> on whether nasal strips will be permitted on Tuesday, the New York Daily News reports.</p>
<p>"That's not fair to me," Sherman told the Daily News about the rule. "That's really bogus. I don't understand."</p>
<p>He <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/sports/horse-racing-holds-its-breath-over-a-nasal-strip.html?contentCollection=sports&amp;action=click&amp;module=NextInCollection&amp;region=Footer&amp;pgtype=article&amp;gwh=494293F0749BADF9441DDA1AE6DAF203&amp;gwt=pay&amp;assetType=nyt_now&amp;_r=0">told the New York Times</a> that the owners could pull him out of the race:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"He might not run if they say you can't run with a nasal strip. [Co-owner Perry Martin] is very funny about things like that. The horse has been on a six-race winning streak with nasal strips. I don't know why they would ban you from wearing one, but we'll have to cross that bridge when we get there, I guess."</p>
<p>The strip goes over the nose. It is allowed in most stakes, including California where the horse trains.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.thehorse.com/articles/29332/the-science-behind-equine-nasal-strips">TheHorse.com</a>, studies on the efficacy of the nasal strips have been mixed. Some contend that the strips reduce work and help the animals breath more efficiently, while others say they don't really do anything.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Molly Riley/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>California Chrome would become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 with a win at the Belmont.</p>

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