Weather, Cancellations Added Hurdles for CA Trainers

The record rain that arrived in Southern California this winter, along with the equine safety issues that followed at Santa Anita Park, limited trainer options or forced horsemen on the Triple Crown trail to make adjustments as they attempted to advance their horses to the spring classics.

While all involved emphasized that their training plans were a relatively minor issue compared to the rash of breakdowns at Santa Anita, trainers with top 3-year-olds still had to help their horses progress despite bad weather and race cancellations.

Richard Mandella, Hall of Fame trainer of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) morning-line favorite Omaha Beach, had some race options taken away after the War Front  colt developed a quarter crack in his right front foot after running on a sloppy, sealed track at Santa Anita.

Fellow Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, trainer of Derby starters Roadster, Improbable, and champion Game Winner, had to go to Plan B for the latter two runners when the San Felipe Stakes (G2) scheduled for March 9 at Santa Anita was canceled.

The trainers had to adjust on the fly in a region that typically is an ideal place to train, in part because of the usual low rainfall and fast tracks. Southern California-based horses have won four of the past five editions of the Kentucky Derby. 

Omaha Beach earned his maiden win racing on a sealed, sloppy surface Feb. 2 at Santa Anita, drawing off to a nine-length score in that seven-furlong test. Mandella said Omaha Beach developed a quarter crack in his right front a week after the race.

Mandella had to allow time for treatment and recovery for the minor ailment, but that bit of added time meant the San Felipe would not be an option, so Omaha Beach was pointed to the March 16 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park. As Omaha Beach already had been pointing for the Rebel, the cancellation of the San Felipe did not impact his schedule.

"It never really got in the way of our progress other than when he won the maiden race on a sealed track in the slop. He popped a quarter crack a week later," Mandella said. "But we've handled that—he's won two stakes with it."

Oaklawn split the Rebel into two divisions to accommodate the 19 horses entered, including eight Southern California-based runners. Omaha Beach took one division and went on to score in Oaklawn's Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13.

"We had Arkansas planned from the time the quarter crack happened," Mandella said. "I didn't want to rush him into the San Felipe. I needed that one more week, and that's the reason I chose that race."

Baffert actually had to redirect Improbable and Game Winner to the Rebel as both had been pointing for the San Felipe.

"That was a little scary to have to do that. I was going to run them together. I didn't want to have to ship, but it worked out all right," Baffert said. "Luckily, they split the race, and so I thought we could win both of them. We got beat, but that happens."

Baffert's two runners each finished second in divisions of the Rebel. Improbable followed with a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby, and Game Winner finished second in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) to stablemate Roadster. Baffert confesses he had some anxious hours ahead of the April 6 Santa Anita Derby, when a lot of things were still up in the air as the track and horsemen worked to address safety issues.

"I actually was afraid they weren't going to run the Santa Anita Derby," Baffert said. "I was actually worried about that."

Baffert had options to ship his horses to Keeneland, Aqueduct Racetrack, or Oaklawn for their final preps but was glad to support the race with two starters.

"I love Santa Anita—it's my favorite track. We wanted to run there. I didn't really want to ship, but I could have left there," Baffert said. "But I said, 'You know what, I'm going to stay here.'" We stayed there, the horses ran well, and they came out of it in great shape."

Baffert said the problems at Santa Anita reminded everyone in the industry that safety always has to be the first priority. That said, he also was pleased to see Santa Anita return to some normalcy on Santa Anita Derby Day, offering some positive racing stories after a difficult winter and spring.

"Our fans showed up with their families to watch the Santa Anita Derby. They had a great day; there was great racing that day. It made us feel good about our sport," Baffert said. "We needed something like that."