Baffert moves Derby horses to ex-assistant
Trainer Bob Baffert moved the remainder of his top Kentucky Derby horses to former assistant Tim Yakteen, including Arabian Knight, winner of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn and the horse given the best chance of winning the Derby, according to future odds.
Baffert said he hopes the horses will move back to his barn after the Derby and before the Preakness Stakes.
In addition to Arabian Knight, on Sunday he moved National Treasure, Fort Bragg and Mr. Fisk. It was previously telegraphed that some of Baffert’s horses would move to Yakteen when the Gotham nominations came out and former Baffert trainees Arabian Lion, Carmel Road and Hejazi had Yakteen listed as the trainer. The race is Saturday at Aqueduct in New York.
Fort Warren was moved earlier to Brittney Russell and nominated for the Gotham, and Harlocap, who finished sixth in the Risen Star, was placed with Steve Asmussen.
Reincarnate also was moved to Yakteen and finished third in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday.
Yakteen now has seven horses nominated for Saturday’s San Felipe at Santa Anita including two of his own, Kangaroo Court and Practical Move. But Yakteen told The Times he was going to run five at Santa Anita: Practical Move ( jockey Evin Roman), Hejazi (Mike Smith), Mr. Fisk (Frankie Dettori), Fort Bragg (Juan Hernandez) and National Treasure (John Velazquez).
—John Cherwa
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