Baffert Expects Even Better American Pharoah for Preakness

American Pharoah and trainer Bob Baffert (far right) walk over to the track at Pimlico for morning exercise prior to the Preakness Stakes. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
BALTIMORE – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is perfect when it comes to winning the Kentucky Derby and having those horses go on to add Preakness Stakes victories.
He swept the first two legs with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002) as part of failed Triple Crown bids and indicated the secret to that success is really no mystery.
“They were all the best horses,” he said. “It’s so much easier when you have the best horse.”
Baffert is on the Triple Crown trail again with American Pharoah, a 2-year-old champion who was more gritty than fast when a late surge allowed him to fend off Firing Line by one length in the Derby. It was not the brilliant performance many fans hoped for, leading some to question whether he is the valedictorian of this distinguished 3-year-old class entering the 140th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.
It will only add to the stiffness of American Pharoah’s challenge as he races for the third time in five weeks that he must break from the rail with stablemate Dortmund, the third-place Derby finisher, beside him. Gary Stevens and Firing Line start from farthest outside in the field of eight, giving them a menu of options.
American Pharoah will almost certainly need a better trip and might have to be better, period, if he is to give Baffert a sixth Preakness win, tying him with rival D. Wayne Lukas for second all-time. With a Preakness win, American Pharoah would take dead aim at becoming the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978.
The bay son of Pioneerof the Nile, bred and owned by Zayat Stables, went five wide around the first turn and was again five wide as he came with his closing kick around the final turn for hard-driving jockey Victor Espinoza. He almost looked like a racecar careening out of control on that last turn but still recovered to get the job done in 2:03.02.
2015 KENTUCKY DERBY

Baffert acknowledged that the performance was somewhat workmanlike for a colt that had dominated its previous four starts by a combined margin of 22 ¼ lengths and was coming off an eight-length laugher in the Arkansas Derby.
“When [Espinoza] pushed the button, he was stuck a little bit,” Baffert said. “He wasn’t really responding.”
He thinks the surface at Churchill Downs, which can be extremely fast, was deep and tiring that afternoon.
“Whether it was the track or whatever, I don’t know,” Baffert said. “I think he’ll run better. Now, he’s ready.”
American Pharoah turned in an eye-opening workout in advance of the Derby, blistering five furlongs in :58.40 at Churchill. The youngster has a solid foundation with six career starts, three of them this year, so the emphasis with him and Dortmund was on keeping them healthy and happy. With the two-week interval between races, they did not breeze.
“We basically keep them in bubble wrap,” Baffert said.
AMERICAN PHAROAH EXERCISES AT PIMLICO

Dortmund has become something of a forgotten horse – and he should not be. He entered the run for the roses undefeated through six starts, including an emphatic 4 ¼-length decision in the Santa Anita Derby. He set the pace at Churchill Downs before weakening to finish third.
“He got a little tired, but since then he’s come back and he’s really trained well,” Baffert said. “I expect another big effort out of him.”
Hall of Fame trainer Lukas was so eager to have Mr. Z attempt to rebound from a 13th-place finish in the Derby that he brokered a deal between Zayat Stables and Calumet Farm on Wednesday. Justin Zayat, who manages the stable, sold the colt who is named for his father, Ahmed Zayat, in two hours. According to Justin, the offer was one they “couldn’t refuse.”
“I’m a businessman. This is a business for us,” Justin Zayat said. “Obviously, I still love Mr. Z. I’ll go kiss him if he won.”
$1.5-million Xpressbet.com Preakness StakesSaturday, Pimlico Race Course, Post time 6:18 p.m. ET1 3/16 miles, dirt, 3-year-oldsT.V.: NBC 4:30 p.m. ET

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

M-L

1

American Pharoah

Victor Espinoza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables

4-5

2

Dortmund

Martin Garcia

Bob Baffert

Kaleem Shah

7-2

3

Mr. Z

Corey Nakatani

D. Wayne Lukas

Calumet Farm

20-1

4

Danzig Moon

Julien Leparoux

Mark Casse

John Oxley

15-1

5

Tale of Verve

Joel Rosario

Dallas Stewart

Charles Fipke

30-1

6

Bodhisattva

Trevor McCarthy

Jose Corrales

Jose Corrales

20-1

7

Divining Rod

Javier Castellano

Arnaud Delacour

Lael Stables

12-1

8

Firing Line

Gary Stevens

Simon Callaghan

Arnold Zetcher

4-1