A year later, Baffert is ready for Mor
A year ago at this time, La Cañada Flintridge resident Bob Baffert was about to begin a historic journey.
The famous horse trainer had won the Kentucky Derby three times, five Preakness Stakes and one Belmont Stakes, just never in the same order in the same year.
That was until last year, when Baffert’s horse American Pharoah etched his name into the record books by becoming the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown. To add to that fame, Pharoah finished off horse racing’s grand slam by winning The Breeders’ Cup.
American Pharoah became the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years, a fact that fans still love to talk to Baffert about.
“People keep saying thank you for that horse last year, because he made everybody feel so good about themselves just watching him,” Baffert told the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. “ I think Pharoah, being the kind, gentle [horse], I got to share him, people touching him and getting close to him. It was very rare.”
Fast forward to April and Baffert has one middle-of-the-pack horse competing at Saturday’s 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs. The race is slated for 3:35 p.m. (PDT) and will be shown on NBC. The purse is $2 million.
Mor Spirit, which enters as a 12-1 underdog, is Baffert’s lone entrant.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mor Spirit drew the No. 17 post, which would give Baffert a chance for more history as no horse has ever won from that post position.
“The last time I had the 17 post was with Point Given with Gary Stevens and here we are again,” said Baffert on the NBC Sports Network in reference to 2001 when his horse took fifth. “I remember last year, I had the 18 with American Pharoah and there was a scratch, we were in the 17 and I was hoping – let’s hope for another scratch – and we ended up in 16.”
While American Pharoah was a clear favorite and was hot going into Kentucky, the same cannot said about Baffert’s entrant this year.
Mor Spirit is coming off consecutive runner-up efforts.
The 3-year-old was defeated by Danzing Candy (No. 20 post) in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita San Felipe Stakes on March 12.
Spirit’s latest run came on April 9 in the 1 1/8-mie Santa Anita Derby where the horse was the 7-5 favorite over Danzing Candy. Mor Spirit was upset by Exaggerator (No. 11 post), which finished third at the San Felipe Stakes.
Mor Spirit has raced seven previous times and has three victories, the last coming on Feb. 6 when the horse captured the Robert B. Lewis Stakes.
Jockey Gary Stevens will attempt to take Mor Spirit to the winner’s circle. Stevens is a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, but was last victorious in 1997.
While American Pharoah will not be out there Saturday, Baffert’s Triple Crown jockey Victor Espinoza will.
The veteran will ride Whitmore, which is trained by Ron Moquett.
Espinoza has won the last two derbies and is attempting to become the first jockey to three-peat.
Saturday’s favorite is Nyquist, trained by Doug F. O’Neill and set to be ridden by Mario Gutierrez.
Nyquist is a 3-1 favorite, according to Wednesday morning’s line odds, with Exaggerator at 8-1 and Gun Runner and Creator at 10-1.
