Baffert Confident with 3-Year-Old Talent

Bob Baffert just can't stop making football references.



It might speak to the trainer's confidence in his current crop of 3-year-olds, considering all the comparisons have to do with the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots.



Baffert was still basking in the afterglow the morning after a gutsy win by Dortmund over Firing Line in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.



"He pulled a Malcolm (Butler) and intercepted at the end," Baffert said Feb. 8, comparing the comeback by the undefeated son of Big Brown   in the Lewis to the turnover that sealed the Super Bowl.



The trainer said the massive colt owned by Kaleem Shah will almost surely be entered in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 4 next. He also said Dortmund—already nearly 17 hands—is going through a growth spurt.



"It's the Santa Anita Derby for sure," Baffert said. "He looks really good. After the race he looked pretty good. He was ready and training well. He has four good races now and he's handled it pretty well."



Baffert also used a football analogy to express guarded optimism for the Kentucky-bred Triple Crown hopeful out of the Tale of the Cat   mare Our Josephina. 



"These are like the wildcard playoffs," said Baffert, a three-time Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner. "I don't get ahead of myself. I've been disappointed too many times."



But Dortmund isn't the only sophomore prodigy under Baffert's roof. American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old male, is looming, and preparing for a return to racing in March. Although he previously said he would consider Santa Anita's 1 1/16-mile San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) for the colt's return, the trainer is now leaning toward the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at the same distance March 14 at Oaklawn Park.



Sired by Pioneerof the Nile   and owned by Zayat Stables, American Pharoah hasn't raced since a 3 1/4-length victory in the FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27 at Santa Anita.



"We're getting him ready for the Rebel," Baffert said. "I changed (my mind)."



Then there's outside shot Lord Nelson, coming off a neck victory over Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red in the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita.



Sired by Pulpit out of Seeking the Gold mare African Jade, Lord Nelson was a fourth-place finisher in the FrontRunner back in September, but Baffert says he's overlooked.



"He's a nice horse, too, and everybody throws him out," Baffert said. "Him and Dortmund work heads up. Dortmund was having to really work hard to work seven-eighths with him."



When confronted with the potential of all three being in Kentucky Derby contention, however, Baffert's mood goes from jolly to irritated.



"Don't be jinxing me," Baffert said. "Some guy came up to me, asking about doing a documentary leading up the the (Kentucky) Derby. I said, 'Get away from me with that. We've got a long way to go, dude.' You're not safe until you put the saddle on them."