Adversaries Unite at Trainers' Dinner

Adversaries were united by their passion for racing and their hopes for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when the annual Trainers' Dinner was held on May 3 at the Hyatt Regency.

It was hard to tell which flowed in greater abundance, alcohol or one-liners. It is safe to say there was an abundance of both, so much so that good-feeling Louisville native Dale Romans cracked, "I'm going to have a hangover tomorrow because of the open bar. Don't do that anymore."

An evening of laughter and warmth began with the presentation of a trophy to Bob Baffert as the winning trainer of last year's Derby. Of course, he became much more than that when American Pharoah   emerged as the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 37 years.

"I still, to this day, can't believe I had a horse like him," Baffert said.

He delighted the crowd that filled the Hyatt Regency ballroom by calling for every trainer to stand at his table for an ovation. "Everybody works just as hard as the next guy," he said.

Baffert, a four-time Derby winner, all but dismissed his prospects this year with Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) runner-up Mor Spirit. "Good luck to you guys and there is a new Derby-winning trainer in this room somewhere," he said.

Romans, always loquacious but chattier than usual, was quick to pick up on that as he bids for his first Derby triumph with Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) winner Brody's Cause. "I'm glad Bob said there will be a new trainer. That means he doesn't like his horse," he said.

Baffert later joked of Mor Spirit, "He's not American Pharoah. He's not Silver Charm. He's not War Emblem. So we're coming in here real quiet." The reference, of course, was to Real Quiet, who followed Silver Charm in giving him consecutive winners in 1997 and 1998. War Emblem never looked back in 2002.

Doug O'Neill exuded confidence when he spoke of undefeated Nyquist, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and the 2-year-old champion expected to go off as a solid Derby favorite. He also noted that the buzz is not as great as might have been expected for a colt that has demonstrated speed and versatility in crafting a perfect 7-for-7 record.

"We're pretty optimistic," O'Neill said. "Maybe having just two starts this year, people think that's a negative thing. But we think he's fresh and ready."

Keith Desormeaux, who will have his brother Kent ride mud-loving Santa Anita Derby victor Exagerrator, made it clear that family bonds take a backseat when the opening leg of the Triple Crown is contested.

"If he's close to the lead," he said of Kent, "he'll be in trouble."

Ron Moquett also is looking for a clean, sensible ride after picking up Victor Espinoza, winner of the last two editions of the Derby and five of the last six Triple Crown races, to guide Whitmore. Whitmore found more than his share of woes during his prep races at Oaklawn Park.

Moquett was quick with a quip when Jill Byrne, who served as co-host with Paul Rogers, asked about the difficulty of providing Whitmore with a clear run in a crowded 20-horse Derby field. "That's not my job," he said.

Tom Amoss broke up the room when he referred to the loneliness of a trainer conditioning a longshot, in his case Mo Tom. "The only people sitting at my table are my wife and daughter and some guy I paid $100 to," he said.

The event produced sure winners in helping to raise funds for two major Churchill Downs programs, the Backside Learning Center and the Healing Place Lifestyle program.