Baffert: Derby Win 'Was a Big Sigh of Relief'

Trainer Bob Baffert, who won his fourth Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with American Pharoah May 2, said the feeling of winning the classic at Churchill Downs was different than in the past.

With American Pharoah, the favorite who defeated Firing Line by a length, and previously undefeated Dortmund, who ran third in the Derby, in his barn, Baffert indicated he felt more pressure to produce than he did with victories with War Emblem, Silver Charm, and Real Quiet.

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The Derby was American Pharoah's fifth win in a row since a fifth-place finish in his career debut at Del Mar in August. The trainer said one of American Pharoah's best qualities is that he has speed, but is not one-dimensional. He can run well on the lead or from off the pace, as he showed in the Derby.

"It's fun to come here, but I think this win was different than my other ones," the trainer said at his Churchil barn after parading the Pioneerof the Nile   colt, who was composed and kept begging for more carrots from his white-haired conditioner. "I needed to get it done. I needed to win it. Something was building that something good was going to happen and it did. It was a big sigh of relief. I was like mission accomplished. That's the feeling I have at this time."

Baffert also downplayed his role in the getting American Pharoah across the finish line first, saying the Zayat Stables' homebred is so talented, "Anybody could have trained this horse and won it. Getting my fourth win meant nothing to me. It means they gave me a really good horse and I didn't screw it up.

"He was just born with that talent," Baffert added. "He has that long stride. He's quick. He's got a really good mind. He just floats over the ground. He's different, just the way he's made. What we saw yesterday is that he's not one-dimensional, which is so nice to have."

Baffert revealed that Dortmund's Derby start was in jeopardy for several hours on April 25 when he had a slight bout with colic after a workout at Santa Anita Park.

The trainer said that both horses are being aimed at the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 16 and that both have the right compete, even though Dortmund could impact a possible Triple Crown bid for his stablemate.

Baffert said that owners who send horses to his barn understand that they might be running against stablemates in big races such as the Triple Crown, which is why Dortmund is a candidate for the Preakness.

The trainer who has nine victories in Triple Crown races said he believes the Preakness, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., is the easiest of the three.

"The Derby is the hardest. The Preakness the easiest," Baffert said. "If you run well in the Derby, that means your horse is in top shape. The (1 1/2-mile) Belmont (Stakes)—that's when it begins to wear on them."

Baffert said if he runs both colts in the Preakness, they would be sent to Pimlico the Wednesday before the May 16 race and will remain at Churchill this week.

Baffert said that his Derby celebration was a fairly quiet: dinner at Jeff Ruby's in downtown Louisville with his family, who was later joined by the Zayats to watch the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on television.

         

"We just talked about how relieved and lucky we are that the horses ran so well, and that we won another Derby," he said. "We were pretty tired—pretty worn out. It's been a really hectic week. When you have that kind of pressure on you, that everybody puts you in the winners' circle (in advance), it's added pressure."

The Churchill Downs communications department notes team contributed to this story.