Baffert Second-Guesses Silver Charm’s Schedule

Trainer Bob Baffert blamed himself for the stress that might have contributed to Silver Charm’s bleeding as the 5-year-old gray finished a disappointing sixth Sunday in the $5-million Dubai World Cup.

“I look back at his schedule and now I can tell that we tried to do too much with him,” Baffert said. “We shipped him from Santa Anita to Florida for the Donn Handicap. Then we shipped him back for the Santa Anita Handicap. Then we sent him all the way to Dubai. It was too much. If I had to do it all over, I would have skipped the Santa Anita Handicap.”

Silver Charm lost all three races, finishing third in the Donn and the Big ‘Cap before his poor effort Sunday as he tried to repeat as the winner of the World Cup. The race was won by 44-1 shot Almutawakel.

Baffert was back in the U.S., preparing his 3-year-olds for the Kentucky Derby, when the Dubai race was run. His assistant, Eoin Harty, told Baffert on Monday that the race took little out of Silver Charm.

“That figures, because he really didn’t do much running,” Baffert said. “He’s due back [at Santa Anita] next Monday. We’ll take a look at him and go from there. I think I’ll put blinkers on him the next time. I don’t have any specific schedule, but he’s not going to need that much time. Last year, he was so wrung out from the race and the trip that I had to give him a lot of time off.”

At Santa Anita on Monday, Baffert pulled two of his horses out of races, saying that Finder’s Gold, after a slow workout, won’t run in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby, and Real Quiet will skip the Oaklawn Handicap in Hot Springs, Ark., the same day. Baffert and Real Quiet’s owner, Mike Pegram, are unhappy that their horse would have had to spot Behrens six pounds at Oaklawn Park. Real Quiet’s next race will be the Pimlico Special on May 8.

With Real Quiet not running Saturday, Gary Stevens will be free to ride General Challenge for Baffert in the Santa Anita Derby. Baffert also will saddle Prime Timber, the probable favorite, with David Flores riding. Other probables are Desert Hero, Honest Lady and Capsized.

General Challenge, with blinkers added, worked six furlongs Monday in 1:10, and later Prime Timber was clocked in 1:11 3/5.

Straight Man, who suffered his first loss when he ran fourth Saturday in the Gallery Furniture.com Stakes at Turfway Park, is in a “holding pattern,” according to Baffert.

“I don’t know about the Kentucky Derby,” Baffert said. “I’m going to wait and see.”