Baffert’s Derby winners perfect in Preakness
When it comes to winning the Kentucky Derby and then heading to the Preakness Stakes, trainer Bob Baffert has been so successful that his main concern has become his waistline.
“To me, the Preakness is a lot of fun,” Baffert said. “That’s my favorite of the races because it’s stress-free. Pimlico, they just do a great job. The only thing you have to watch out for is you don’t overdo it on the crab cakes.”
Indeed, Baffert and Baltimore have been a tasty combination.
All four of Baffert’s previous Kentucky Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness: Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002) and American Pharoah (2015). Baffert is hoping to make it 5-for-5 on Saturday when Justify is expected to be a heavy favorite to win the second leg of the Triple Crown races at Pimlico Race Course.
Baffert said there’s no secret to his success. “They’re in the zone; they’re just peaking out,” Baffert said of his Derby winners. “And so we don’t do a lot with them because they’ve just run. And (Justify) is pretty fit. We’ve been running him into shape, and (the Kentucky Derby) was probably his hardest race. …
“I’ve always taken the approach that we go there, we’re ready, we need racing luck, let’s see what they do. If he gets racing luck, he will be in good shape. I don’t want to run any faster, just keeping at that same level.”
Baffert’s first Preakness came in 1996 with Cavonnier, who finished fourth. He has had a total of 18 Preakness starters and is 6-1-1 all time. He also won in 2001 with Point Given (fifth in Kentucky Der- by) and in 2010 with Lookin at Lucky (sixth in Kentucky Derby).
Baffert said his approach to the twoweek turnaround from the Kentucky Derby to the Preakness hasn’t changed much since 1996.
“We’ve been through this a few times, so we don’t do anything different,” he said. “We just go in there and have a good time.”
D. Wayne Lukas also has six Preakness victories, the most recent coming with Oxbow in 2013. Lukas said he didn’t like Always Dreaming’s chances to win the Preakness last year after winning the Kentucky Derby and was correct, as Always Dreaming finished eighth in Baltimore.
Lukas, who will saddle Bravazo and Sporting Chance on Saturday, said he likes what he sees in Justify.
“You have to have a fighter,” Lukas said. “The other thing is, it really helps if your horse has had an easier race in the Derby. Justify did. Justify had an easy race, a good trip, no trouble. So it didn’t take a lot out of him, in my opinion.”