Baffert, Mandella Trade Jabs at Trainers' Dinner

Swapping stories, trading barbs, and offering some insight into the horses for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) is a hallmark of the Kentucky Derby Trainers' Dinner. This year's event, held April 30 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Louisville, was no different.

The soiree, hosted by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, was once again hosted by Paul Rogers and Jill Byrne.

Trainer Bob Baffert, a five-time Derby winner and conditioner of a pair of Triple Crown winners, was honored by Lee Hall of Hallway Feeds for last year's winner, Justify . Then the white-haired Hall of Famer stuck around to trade a few jabs with another member of the Hall of Fame, Richard Mandella, trainer of 4-1 morning-line favorite Omaha Beach.

The format this year was broken down by race, with the Arkansas Derby (G1) won by Omaha Beach, who defeated the Baffert-trained Improbable, kicking things off.

"My barn is next to Richard's barn," Baffert said. "I see him every day. It's amazing. He walks by my barn every day and sees all these signs (listing Baffert's Derby winners), and now he's got a big chance to get a sign of his own. It's exciting. He's a great horse trainer. Things happen for a reason. He's been smiling so much, I didn't know he had that many teeth."

Mandella said: "When I got to Churchill, I had some people hosting me and they said, 'That's the tack room, Dick.' When I looked in there, there was a pair of training wheels in there with a receipt signed by Bob Baffert.

"Bob's been helping me for a couple of years; he's been giving me little lessons," Mandella added. "And then when I won the Rebel Stakes (G2, over the Baffert-trained Game Winner), it changed. All of a sudden it looked like I might have a chance, so he started throwing me curve balls. Well, I went directly to (fellow Hall of Fame trainer) Wayne Lukas. He was upset because he helped Bob when he was young, feeling bad for him."

Baffert countered: "I've thrown two really good horses at him and his horse really dug in. Then he stole my jockey (Mike Smith). As a matter of fact, I came home and told my wife, Jill, and she said, 'I just lost my Derby buzz.'

"The thing is, it's a great race. I've been so blessed and lucky," Baffert said. "I wish every trainer could feel what it's like to win the Derby. It's something else. I've been there five times. I know this year is going to be a little bit tougher, but it's a tough field and I'm happy to be here."

"You have to admire what this man's done," Mandella said humbly.

As for his other horses, Baffert said of Game Winner: "He's run two solid races this year and Roadster is what we call our 'TMZ horse,' because I told TMZ he was my Derby winner last July. He just happened to be the hot horse in the barn early last year. I wasn't sure he was going to make the Derby, but things started happening. I'm fortunate to have three in there.

"Game Winner is just solid. I thought we had a chance to get by that horse (Omaha Beach). (Game Winner) came back in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) but I don't think he saw Roadster.

"I think the weather will help them (the forecast is for rain). I think there is a conspiracy theory in Louisville. .. They say is it going to be beautiful and as soon as Churchill Downs sells every ticket in every box, the forecast changes to 'bring your poncho.' "

Trainer Bret Calhoun, who will send out TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner By My Standards acknowledged his horse has stepped up since winning his maiden and then punching his ticket to Kentucky via a big score in New Orleans. Calhoun was joined on stage by trainer Todd Pletcher, who will saddle Louisiana Derby runner-up Spinoff.

"It looks like Bret's horse is training great," Pletcher said. "I'd say his horse has a big chance."

"The horse has always trained well," Calhoun admitted. "You can see it in the morning. We watch them every day ... perhaps too much."

Calhoun was teased about his grooming, not of the horses, but his hair.

"You have to play the wind," he quipped. "With the weather forecast, I'd say I'd be firm on Saturday."

Pletcher will also saddle Sunland Park Derby (G3) winner Cutting Humor.

"I know the track was super fast that day, but it's great to see a 3-year-old shade 1:47 this time of year (1:46.94 for nine furlongs)," he said of the son of First Samurai . "It was a quality race."

Bill Mott, Danny Gargan, and Kiaran McLaughlin entertained the crowd with commentary from the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) 1-2-3 of Tacitus, Tax, and Haikal.

When asked about the Wood, which had a some bumping as the field went into the first turn, Mott said: "Well, he ain't seen nothing yet," considering the 20-horse field for the Derby.

"I want to thank Bill Mott," Gargan said, "and this guy, Kiaran McLaughlin, he talked me into running in the Remsen (last fall's grade 2 race at Aqueduct, in which Tax ran third).

"I wish I'd told him to run on the turf," McLaughlin said.

He continued: "Why don't we talk about the Gotham (Haikal won the grade 3 race March 9)? Baffert shipped in a horse and I ran right by him in the Gotham. I thought, 'I beat a Bob Baffert Derby horse.' I didn't know he was fifth string."

Trainer Mark Casse took the stage to represent his War of Will, a two-time graded stakes winner in Louisiana. War of Will drew the one post earlier in the day for the Derby.

"I knew you were going to bring that up," he said. "You know what I did this afternoon? I watched the last 20 Derbys and watched the horse on the rail. It's not as bad as I thought.

"At the draw I was sitting next to Bob and he said, 'You know why they have an intermission? So you can go to the bathroom and throw up.' That made me feel a lot better."

Mike Trombetta, trainer of Win Win Win told of the necessity of his horse finishing first or second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) to make the Derby field. Trombetta saddled the 2006 Derby favorite Sweetnorthernsaint.

He was asked about the name, as the colt is a son of Hat Trick, the term for someone scoring three goals in a game.

"I'm a little embarrassed to say the horse was in the barn for about nine months before I figured that out," he said.

Trainer Shug McGaughey, trainer of 2013 Derby winner Orb  and 2019 contender Code of Honor noted he always wants to get back to the Derby. It was noted that McGaughey, Mott, and Mandella all ran their first horses in the Derby in 1984.

As a capper, Japan trainer Koichi Tsunoda was asked about his long trek to Louisville from Japan with Master Fencer. He said, through a translator, "I came here to Kentucky to find the best sushi bar in the world."