Baffert reloaded
It's been four years since he dominated the spotlight in the 3-year-old classics, yet Bob Baffert is still the world's most recognizable horse trainer. His head of platinum hair, fuller than any 53-year-old has a right to, couldn't belong to anybody else. Neither could his speech patterns, an offbeat mix of stream of consciousness rambling with California mellow speak.
Gaining attention was Baffert's goal 10 years ago, when he made his Kentucky Derby debut with Santa Anita Derby winner Cavonnier. The white-haired wisecracker shamelessly courted the media that week, when he was king of sound bites. An excruciating defeat only made him more likeable. His anguish over a nose loss in the final jump to Grindstone turned him into racing's culture hero, yet he thought destiny had passed him by.
"I was convinced this was my only chance," Baffert wrote in his 1999 autobiography, "Dirt Road to the Derby," with Steve Haskin. "I'll never be back. I don't have these kinds of horses. I believe you get one big break in life, and you better take advantage of it. This was my one big break and I missed it."
How little we know, because Baffert almost immediately became a major force in the game. Narrow victories by his Silver Charm in the next year's Derby and Preakness were wildly popular, and the gray colt's near-miss in the Belmont was cosmic drama. Baffert handled it well and perhaps gained even more stature than if he had won.
An even more heart-ripping defeat by Real Quiet in the next Belmont, by another nose in the final stride, again deprived Baffert of the first sweep since Affirmed in 1978. But for another spring he'd been The Man, and the expensive yearlings kept coming to his barn.
After being shut out in the springs of 1999 and 2000, Point Given gave Baffert his third Preakness and his first Belmont in 2001, and the next year front-running War Emblem swept the first two legs before finishing up the track at Belmont. But for the past three years, Baffert has been a nobody during Derby week, not even having a runner in 2004 and coming in 17th last year with no-hoper Sort It Out.
Baffert's ego is a lot larger than his huge trophy case, and watching other trainers win the big ones has gnawed at him. Now he's back in force for this year's Derby with three colts - Wood Memorial winner Bob and John, Blue Grass Stakes winner Sinister Minister and Santa Anita Derby runner-up Point Determined. None of them will be the betting favorite, but none is a throwout, either. Well, Sinister Minister probably is, but not for lack of ability.
"I'm going to get my positions," he said, "because I've got a speed horse [Sinister Minister], a horse that should be in the middle of the pack [Point Determined], and one that comes from behind [Bob and John]. So I'm covered. I'm just going to have a good time."
There are many need-to-lead types in the 132nd Derby, and the faster the fractions, the more Baffert should enjoy himself on May 6. Sinister Minister projects as a pace burnout, but he could set up rallies by his stablemates.
"War Emblem you could control a little bit," Baffert said. "Sinister Minister you can't control. He just runs off. His mouth was wide open down the backstretch [in the Blue Grass] and he went in 22 seconds and 45 4/5. That's not control. That's called runaway train."
Baffert likes his chances but is far from overconfident.
"This is a very competitive Derby," he said. "It's a pretty good group of horses and a lot of them have the same style. The horse that's a pretty good horse that they don't talk about is [undefeated] Barbaro. He's won on turf, he's won on dirt and he's a big, long-striding horse. I know he can get this distance."
He's hoping that Bob and John and Point Determined can, too.
Kentucky Derby television coverage begins Saturday, May 6 at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports.
