Baffert Still On Cloud Nine

It's never been a secret that Bob Baffert is one of the greats in horse racing. He further solidified that in 2015 when saddling the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years in American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and came back the following year with another superstar in Arrogate (Unbridled's Song).

After the recently retired Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}) was injured, Baffert was without a GI Kentucky Derby starter, but still left Churchill Downs a winner after taking the GI Kentucky Oaks with Abel Tasman (Quality Road). The conditioner was also without a runner in last Saturday's GI Belmont S., but he ended up the day's big winner after capturing all four of the stakes he entered with the help of fellow Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

“I'm much better than I was last week,” Baffert quipped when asked how he was. “Well, I mean going in, they made us the favorite. The public was right. It was one of those things where I knew we could do it, but we knew the odds were against us, especially Mike Smith. The day before I sent Mike a text and said, 'Do you think you have five wins in you because I think we are looking pretty strong for tomorrow.' He said, 'I used to.'”

Gary and Mary West's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. runner-up West Coast (Flatter) kicked off the banner day for the Baffert barn with a decisive score in the Easy Goer (video).

“Once West Coast won, I felt pretty good about [our chances for the day],” Baffert said. “It's too early to say [where he will go next]. He could run in the [GIII] Dwyer [S. at Belmont July 8]. They will all be nominated everywhere and however they are doing that week, is how I will decide what they are going to do.”

Next up was the China Horse Club and Clearsky Farm's Abel Tasman. Away a bit slowly, the Oaks heroine was expertly guided to the rail on the backstretch by Smith, where she punched through to take command and held off GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Salty (Quality Road) to score (video).

“Abel Tasman was the one I felt the strongest about because she's just been getting better and better and better,” Baffert remarked. “I was a little bit worried because I was backing her up to a mile, but I always thought the great ones could overcome it, and she's a great filly. In her race, she had to work at it harder. Mark Casse sent me a text the next day and said, 'Congratulations! What a great day, but I just wanted to tell you that I am the only trainer who made you work for one of those wins.' Which was true.”

The California-based conditioner, who is considering Saratoga's GI Alabama S. Aug. 19 for the filly's next start, added, “She is a sweet, kind filly and I wanted to show the Kentucky Oaks was not a fluke. She is that good of a horse. She is a filly that by the end of the year will be able to run with those older mares.”

Three races later Baffert and Smith were back at it again, capturing the GII Woody Stephens S. with American Anthem (Bodemeister) (video). Failing to make it to the First Saturday in May after disappointing efforts in the GII Rebel S. and GI Santa Anita Derby, Baffert cut American Anthem back to seven furlongs for the GIII Lazaro Barrera S. and was rewarded with a facile victory.

“I'm not sure [where he will go next]. He can always go short,” the 64-year-old offered. “The [GI] King's Bishop, which is called the [H. Allen] Jerkens [Memorial S.] now, is the goal. He will let me know how he is training.”

Last, but certainly not least, for the powerhouse California team was Mor Spirit (Eskendereya), who charged home to an impressive 6 1/4-length victory in the GI Metropolitan H. (video).

“Oh man! I'll tell you, he's the kind of horse that shows you more in the afternoon than he does in the mornings,” Baffert enthused. “I've never won the Met Mile before. I told that owner [Michael Lund Petersen] right before, 'Man, I have to tell you, I've never won this race.' It was nice to win. It was so important for that horse, especially for that horse. We were so high on him last year. He's just changed so much. He's a big, strong, beautiful, good-moving horse. Mike really figured the horse out.”

Mor Spirit is another Baffert runner who could make an appearance at Saratoga this summer.

“I'm going to see how he is training and decide what we are going to do with him, but the [GI] Whitney [S. Aug. 5] could be a possibility,” the Hall of Famer said. “I want to stretch him out, so that could be a good spot.”

Baffert remained humble about his clean sweep at Belmont, turning the spotlight towards his horses.

“They were all impressive,” the Arizona native commented. “I was just in awe of all four of them. It was like having all your kids just do so well. They all excelled. They were training well going in, but you never know until you put them in the gate. We had racing luck. They shipped well. It worked out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.”

Baffert also credited Smith, who, in addition to his four stakes victories with Baffert, also captured the GI Ogden Phipps S. with two-time champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro). Smith and Baffert have teamed up on many top horses of the year and their recent string of successes includes the GI Pegasus World Cup and G1 Dubai World Cup with champion Arrogate.

“Mike knows I have a lot of confidence in him,” Baffert explained. “He's riding with a lot of confidence. The year that he is having, he has been riding some great horses, but still, he is the guy you want. He is the guy you want right now, especially in California. He can tell you a lot about a horse. Guys like him, Gary Stevens, Johnny V., they just know. When you have one of those guys, you can sleep at night. The ride is the least thing on your mind.”

He continued, “Plus, he can change it up. Certain jockeys are like quarterbacks. But with some quarterbacks, if the first guy isn't open, they are in trouble. Mike is the kind of quarterback that if the guy isn't open, he will find somebody else. We've seen it with Arrogate and we have seen it with other horses, like Abel Tasman. The ride he rode on Songbird, too. He sat there and he had a lot of confidence in her. He hoped she had it in the end when he asked her and she did. He is in the zone. He has always been a great rider.”

Baffert also offered updates on some of his stable's other top runners that did not make the trip to New York last weekend, including “TDN Rising Star” Arrogate, who breezed a half-mile in :47.60 (8/66) Monday.

“He looked good,” the trainer remarked. “He worked nice and he looks beautiful. I don't want to ship right now being he has shipped so much earlier. I am going to do whatever I feel to get him to that Breeders' Cup Classic. That's the main race. Hopefully we will run him at Del Mar.”

Last seen coming from well out of it after a bad break to score an unbelievable victory in the Dubai World Cup, Arrogate could possibly make his Stateside return in the GII San Diego H. July 22.

“If I feel he needs it [he will run in the San Diego],” Baffert said. “I am pointing for it right now, but we will know in a couple weeks.”

Champion sprinter Drefong (Gio Ponti) is also on the comeback trail. The “TDN Rising Star” was last seen winning the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 5.

“We are just getting him ready,” Baffert offered. “He will work tomorrow. We are getting him ready for Del Mar.”

The Coolmore contingent's Cupid (Tapit) is yet another Baffert success story. A three-time graded winner as a sophomore last term, the gray returned off an eight-month layoff to score his first win at the highest level in the 10-panel GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita (video).

“I really didn't want to run him a mile and quarter without having a race, but with a good enough horse you can get away with that,” Baffert commented. “Like Arrogate, he's that kind of horse. He's doing really well.”

He continued, “Right now, I'm looking at the [GII] Suburban [H. July 8] with him. I ran him [at Belmont] before and he didn't run well [finishing fifth as the favorite in the Easy Goer]. He didn't get away well and was chasing, but he is doing well now.”

With his two 2016 champions nearing returns and several other runners stepping up to the plate, Baffert appears poised to have yet another incredible year.