Wilkes Continues to Do Nafzger Proud

Carl Nafzger stood outside his former home away from home—Churchill Downs' Barn 26—with a grin on his face as he watched the many lessons he imparted whisk their way around the shedrow the morning of April 30.

The Hall of Fame trainer looked on as his former assistant defied the crushing pressure that is supposed to come with his current situation by trading a couple dry-humored lines with the surrounding media. And as the horse at the center of the storm headed out for the last of his crucial workouts, Nafzger hustled to the clocker's stand to witness what he hopes will be the latest classic winner to emerge from the developmental system he helped put into place.

One of the main lessons trainer Ian Wilkes said he learned from his old boss was to make sure he savored the moments when a game-changer of a horse came into his care. As he took in Wilkes' cool demeanor less than a week out from the first leg of the Triple Crown, it was hard to find anyone enjoying the ascent of multiple graded stakes winner McCraken more than Nafzger himself.

"Have you ever thought about watching your son run a touchdown in on the last play of the game to win?" Nafzger asked Sunday. "You're really happy. The best thing I ever did was turn this over to (Wilkes)."

It has been more than 10 years since Nafzger went into semi-retirement and handed the majority of his stable over to his former assistant Wilkes, a move the veteran horseman would never have made if he didn't have the utmost faith in the hands he was entrusting his precious foundation.

As Nafzger watched McCraken whip through a five-furlong move in 1:00 4/5 at Churchill Sunday, the colt's final major preparation for the May 6 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), he was treated to several reminders of why he couldn't have picked a better steward to carry his professional philosophies forward.

Though McCraken technically represents Wilkes' first starter in the 1 1/4-mile classic, the Australian native is no novice to the qualities that lead one to the first Saturday in May. In his years as Nafzger's assistant, Wilkes helped hone the abilities of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled and 2007 Derby victor Street Sense  .

Still, there is a difference between being on the frontline and being the one who gives the orders. Thanks in no small part to Nafzger's enduring support and the mantras he ingrained, Wilkes has brought Janis Whitham's McCraken to this point with a been-there, done-that confidence that in itself is a tribute to how much he took the teachings of his mentor to heart.

"It's great to have Carl here, and he's an icon in the game," Wilkes said. "To be associated with him and to have him around—words can't explain that. The whole key he always said was ... concentrate on my horse. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. And you have to have some fun. 

"You can let it get to you and get ulcers and everything, but the thing is—let's face it, it's a very prestigious race but ... it's a race. You can get caught up and try and do too many things and forget about what got you there. That's what you have to stay on track with."

Boiling the complicated down into the simple was a Nafzger hallmark. Throughout his storied career, he trained by instinct more than anything, routinely blocking outside noise and tuning into what the horseflesh before him suggested was the best path.

When he saw a young rider galloping horses back in 1989, those same instincts resulted in one of Nafzger's best training jobs. 

"The first time I saw (Wilkes) was when he galloped by when he came over from Australia. The first time I saw him gallop a horse, I said to my assistant, 'Don't let that boy out of my sight,'" Nafzger recalled. "He had hands—really good hands—and it was just the greatest thing I ever did. We've been together since 1989 and it's just family. It's way deeper than (friendship).

"I was more an instinct trainer. Ian has a great eye. Energy has a lot to do with training horses and Ian had the youth, the energy, and knowledge. He just needed to get the experience of being the one who called the shots."

When Wilkes took over most of the stable in 2006—save for those horses Nafzger retained for longtime clients James Tafel, owner of Street Sense, and Bentley Smith—he didn't try to reinvent the wheel he rode in on. Several members of his team were in place with Nafzger for years.

In 2009 Wilkes celebrated his first solo grade 1 winner when Capt. Candyman Can prevailed in the NetJets King's Bishop Stakes. Three years later, the even-kneeled Wilkes showed his barn could dance on the biggest stage when his charge Fort Larned   captured the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and was an Eclipse Award finalist that season for Horse of the Year honors.

The laser focus Nafzger always had is something Wilkes has doubled down on. Ask him when one of his charges plans to work and one will likely get playfully chided for jumping too far ahead. Each morning at the barn is a chance for him to freshly evaluate what his horses' needs are in the moment. Looking any further beyond that is something he freely concedes he won't budge upon.

"As the old saying goes, don't put the cart before the horse. Just focus on him. He'll tell you what he needs," Wilkes said.  "Don't overtrain them. Don't try and make them what they're not."

Wilkes maintains he draws his current poise from the encouraging signs McCraken keeps giving off heading into the toughest race of his life. The fact that he can stand in the eye of scrutiny and not get knocked back by the second-guessing that has crippled many first-time Kentucky Derby trainers is something the man who used to run Barn 26 takes immense pride in.

"When he took over, he took over. I was at the barn at that time probably as much as before. It was just I let him make the decisions and we worked together," Nafzger said. "We always worked together. I would always ask him, 'What do you think? Where do you think we are?' It wasn't like you're here and I'm here. I just put him in the driver's seat."