Quote Manages to Spur a Challenge

The relatively sane world of big-time horse racing got a little wacky Tuesday, when a fax service called Thoroughbred Daily News ran a quote from trainer Bob Baffert that got the attention of owner Bob Lewis, whose 3-year-old, Charismatic, has won the Triple Crown’s first two legs, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Baffert, who trains many horses for the Lewises, Bob and Beverly of Newport Beach, but does not train Charismatic, was quoted as saying that he was convinced that his filly, Silverbulletday, was “the best 3-year-old in the land.” Lewis read this, took some exception to it, and turned it into a fun challenge, saying he would put up $100,000 to Baffert’s $100,000 for whichever horse finished ahead of the other in the June 5 Belmont, the third leg of the Triple Crown. The $200,000 would go to the equine charity of the winner’s choice.

The problem was, Baffert said he didn’t say what he was quoted as saying, that he told the fax service that Silverbulletday was the “best 3-year-old filly” and that “the only way to find out if she was the best 3-year-old horse was to run her in the Belmont,” a decision that has yet to be made.

As the day wore into evening, Baffert convinced the fax service to run a statement from him saying he didn’t say that. The editor of the fax service, Sue Finley of Fair Haven, N.J., said that, while Baffert’s statement would run, the service stuck by its original story. Lewis said the $100,000 challenge remains, at least until “Charismatic was shown the respect he deserves.”

Stay tuned.