By Steve Sherack
BALTIMORE, MD – Taking no chances with more wet weather on its way Friday, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sent out his unbeaten GI Kentucky Derby winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Justify (Scat Daddy) to train in the dark shortly before daybreak at soggy Pimlico at 5:30 a.m.
Owned in partnership by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing, Justify continues to show all the right signs since arriving in Baltimore, turning in another spirited and controlled gallop of 1 1/2 miles over the sloppy going. The strapping chestnut is the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday's 143rd renewal of the GI Preakness S.
Baffert looked on with WinStar's Elliott Walden by the gap as Justify splashed his way past the illuminated grandstand. The pair, of course, have their share of history as rivals, too. Walden famously spoiled Real Quiet's Triple Crown bid for Baffert back during his training days with Victory Gallop in 1998.
WATCH: Bob Baffert talks Preakness Friday morning
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset, former longtime assistant to Bill Mott, had a smile on his face as he entered the track aboard 'TDN Rising Star' Quip (Distorted Humor). The GII Tampa Bay Derby winner and GI Arkansas Derby runner-up had a nice bounce in his step as he jogged the wrong way before turning around and galloping a mile. Brisset briefly had Justify in his shedrow at Keeneland last fall before he shipped out to join Baffert's stable in Southern California.
Half of the eight-horse field assembled for the Preakness had completed their final preparations by 6 a.m. Friday, including the D. Wayne Lukas-trained pair of 'TDN Rising Star' Sporting Chance (Tiznow) and Bravazo (Awesome Again), who were both out for light exercise. Lukas and Baffert have both won the Preakness six times trailing only Robert Wyndham Walden with seven.
With some light rain beginning to pick up just before 7 a.m., the remaining quartet of Preakness runners made appearances within approximately a 15-minute window.
Trainer Tom Amoss was in town to oversee Kentucky Derby eighth-place finisher and GII Louisiana Derby runner-up Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior). He jogged a mile Friday. “Just going to the gate and coming home,” Lone Sailor's affable exercise rider Maurice Sanchez offered upon heading out.
WATCH: Tom Amoss on the chances of Lone Sailor
Diamond King (Quality Road), winner of the local prep Federico Tesio S. for trainer John Servis of Smarty Jones fame, got a nice rise out of a small group of press assembled by the rail when he entered the track sporting a decorative Alibi Breakfast saddle towel prior to jogging two miles.
Champion Good Magic (Curlin) had an easy morning jogging as well after galloping three straight days at Old Hilltop. Conditioner Chad Brown, seeking his second straight Preakness win, was in attendance for the first time at Pimlico this week during training hours. He was joined at the Stakes Barn by Good Magic's co-owners Bob Edwards of e Five Racing and Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables.
The lightly raced Tenfold (Curlin), fifth while making his stakes debut in the Arkansas Derby, schooled in the starting gate before galloping about 1 1/4 miles with two-time Preakness winning trainer Steve Asmussen watching from the grandstand. Tenfold later walked the shedrow sporting his Sentient Jet/Homes For Our Troops cooler. The latter builds specially adapted custom homes for severely injured veterans.
A Sunrise Tour, out in full force all week despite some very lousy spring weather, wished Baffert good luck in the big one Saturday as training hours were winding down. While the future home of the Preakness is still to be determined, there's no questioning how much these fans love racing here.
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