With Latest Setback, Banner Year Becomes Real Quiet for Baffert

Real Quiet, winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, injured joints in his rear legs during a workout at Del Mar, spoiling next Sunday’s New Jersey rematch between colts that finished only a nose apart in the Belmont Stakes.

Preparing for the $1-million Haskell Handicap at Monmouth Park next Sunday, Real Quiet came out of Wednesday’s workout with sore stifles and will be out of training for two months, trainer Bob Baffert said. This is likely to sideline the colt for the year, since he is not eligible for the $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 7.

The Haskell had been anticipated as another in the series of races between Real Quiet and Victory Gallop, who won a photo finish in the Belmont to cost Baffert’s colt the Triple Crown and a $5-million bonus. Victory Gallop finished second in both the Derby and the Preakness.

Real Quiet, bothered by stifles pain before, according to Baffert, worked seven furlongs Wednesday in 1:26 2/5.

The stifle joint is located in a horse’s upper rear leg, above the hock, and is roughly equivalent to the human knee.

“The horse had a bad stifle that kept us from running in the Swaps [at Hollywood Park], but this time it’s worse,” Baffert said. “He aggravated the stifles in the work. I’ve had a lot of horses get this. We noticed it Friday, and you could tell it didn’t feel right. He’s not 100% and we don’t want to take a chance.”

The Del Mar meet, less than two weeks old, has been unkind to the Baffert barn. Silver Charm, who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and the Dubai World Cup this year, finished last in the San Diego Handicap a week ago and his future is on hold.

“I’m not worried about Silver Charm,” Baffert said Saturday. “He’s perking up. He’s starting to come around.”

Real Quiet was scheduled to work at Del Mar on Tuesday and be flown to New Jersey for the Haskell on Wednesday. Although horses that register the Derby- Preakness double usually win the Eclipse award for best 3-year-old, as Silver Charm did in 1997, Real Quiet’s absence from the major races for 3-year-olds late in the year might open the title door for Victory Gallop, who’s scheduled to run in the Travers at Saratoga after the Haskell.

“I’m not worried about the 3-year-old title,” Baffert said. “All I know is that I’ve got a horse who came within a nose of winning horse of the year. Those votes at the end of the year are out of my hands, and I can’t worry about it.”

Majestic Prince, who recorded the Derby-Preakness double in 1969 but didn’t win the Belmont, was outvoted for the 3-year-old title by Arts And Letters. Since then, six horses that scored a Derby-Preakness double--Canonero II, Spectacular Bid, Pleasant Colony, Alysheba, Sunday Silence and Silver Charm--also won the Eclipse.

Gary Stevens, who could have ridden either Real Quiet or Victory Gallop in the Haskell, made the choice in favor of Victory Gallop early last week. Kent Desormeaux, who rode Real Quiet through the Triple Crown, would have had the assignment for Baffert at Monmouth.

Real Quiet has been one of the best bargains in racing. Purchased as a yearling by Mike Pegram for $17,000, he has earned $1.9 million with four wins, two seconds and five thirds in 14 starts.