LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Amr Zedan walked out of Churchill Downs one year ago as the winning owner of the Kentucky Derby, his Medina Spirit having crossed the wire first. He’ll walk back in on Saturday trying to win the Derby with Taiba, as an odyssey that has included extreme highs and crushing lows continues to play out. Medina Spirit subsequently was found to have in his system traces of a legal medication that is banned on race day. He was eventually disqualified from the victory, but before that ruling was meted out, Medina Spirit died from a suspected sudden cardiac event in a workout. In February, Zedan was second in the $20 million Saudi Cup as co-owner of Country Grammer in his home country, where his wide-ranging business interests are based. Country Grammer came back a month later to win the $12 million Dubai World Cup. And then last month, Taiba, in only his second start, won the Santa Anita Derby, which put Zedan in position to return to Churchill Downs for a second straight Derby. How does one wrap their head around all that? “I try not to look back,” Zedan said in a recent telephone interview. “I look forward. I look at it is a blessing, really, to be able to have another go at the Kentucky Derby. It’s everyone’s dream. So to me it’s more of a reflective feeling, a humbling feeling.” Zedan, 47, said seeing Medina Spirit cross the wire first last year was “surreal.” “Standing there, in the final stretch, I knew if he had the lead, with his heart, he’d put up a fight,” Zedan said. “I went completely blank. My knees gave out. My brother-in-law held on to me. There were all kinds of emotions, laughing and crying.” A little more than a week later, Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert were informed of the test results with Medina Spirit, and Churchill Downs subsequently suspended Baffert from the Derby for two years, this year and next. Zedan has no ongoing legal matters with Churchill Downs. He has appealed the ruling of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s Churchill Downs-based stewards to disqualify Medina Spirit. “It’s in the appellate process at the moment,” Zedan said. Medina Spirit’s death in December added another layer to the saga. “In my mind, with Medina Spirit his heart was bigger than his body,” Zedan said. Medina Spirit was to remain in training this year at age 4, and his early-season goal was going to be the Saudi Cup. Earlier this year, Zedan worked out a deal with WinStar Farm, at Baffert’s urging, to buy into Country Grammer. “When Medina passed, Bob was shattered,” Zedan said. “He always has looked after my best interests. He’s honest and transparent. Friendship aside, he’s an artist. I’m fortunate to be associated with him. I think people confuse the persona with the person. He’s an amazing horseman. “He knew the Saudi Cup was a dream of mine. He picked out the horse, engineered everything."  After finishing second in the Saudi Cup, Country Grammer won the Dubai World Cup.  Zedan is proud of his Saudi heritage, especially the city of Medina. Medina Spirit was named for that city, and it’s also behind how Zedan named Taiba. “Taiba is a variation of Medina, similar to New York City being known as Gotham, or Los Angeles the City of Angels,” said Zedan, who was born in Los Angeles and whose university education was in this country. His business, the Saudi-based The Zedan Group, is involved in all facets of the energy sector. Zedan is chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation. Owning racehorses was a natural extension. He has a passion for horses and the means to acquire top-shelf stock. Taiba was purchased as a 2-year-old in training last year for $1.7 million by Zedan, acting on the advice of Baffert and noted clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young. He only buys a handful of horses a year, and prefers 2-year-old sales to yearling sales because the horses are in training. One can see them breeze, and they’re more mature physically. “It’s risk mitigation, but it comes at a premium,” Zedan said. “With colts, the program is built around the Kentucky Derby. That’s the target.” Taiba did not get to the races until March, when he won his debut. Not long after that, Baffert was suspended for 90 days by the KHRC, which required Zedan to move Taiba to another trainer. He chose Tim Yakteen, who also was chosen by the partnership that owns Messier, another Derby entrant. :: Get Kentucky Derby Betting Strategies for exclusive wager recommendations, contender profiles, pedigree analysis, and more Zedan wanted to run Taiba in the Santa Anita Derby in his second start. Yakteen and Young advised against it, saying it was too much too soon for a horse who obviously had high-level talent. “My thought was that precisely because of that talent, we needed to give Taiba the chance for glory,” Zedan said. He watched the race overseas, on TVG, as Taiba collared Messier and went on to win. “I was jumping up and down,” Zedan said. “He achieved what was impossible. He’s in the history books now, winning his second start in the Santa Anita Derby, going from six furlongs to a mile and an eighth. Everything now is icing on the cake.” Last year was Zedan’s first visit ever to Churchill Downs and the Derby. And here he is, again. “It was always on my radar,” he said. “I was always intrigued. But I never thought I’d be there. When I take a moment to reflect, I feel really blessed.”