Baffert Loses Prime Client Jones

On the day when trainer Bob Baffert lost one of his wealthiest clients, he was wearing a small badge on his shirt that said: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s who you pick to blame.”

Trying to be philosophical about owner Aaron Jones sending all six of his horses to trainer Eduardo Inda, Baffert pointed to the pin and said: “Every trainer ought to have one of these.”

In 1997, Jones came back into racing in a bizarre way. Before he ever met Baffert, who had won that year’s Kentucky Derby with Silver Charm, Jones commissioned the trainer to buy a yearling at Keeneland for $1.5 million. Jones was on a phone in Oregon while Baffert did the bidding in Kentucky.

That colt, Forestry, won four stakes and ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Gulfstream Park in November, but the Jones-Baffert relationship ended Sunday at Santa Anita, with a phone call from the lumber magnate about his plans to move his horses to Inda’s barn.

Included in the group are Prime Timber, fourth in last year’s Kentucky Derby, and Forest Camp, who ran second Saturday as the 7-10 favorite in the San Miguel Stakes. Headed Inda’s way later are nine unraced 2-year-olds, three of them bought as yearlings for a total of $4.5 million. They are currently at a farm in Ocala, Fla.

Attempts to reach Jones were unsuccessful. Baffert, who won Eclipse Awards for best trainer in 1997 and 1998 and who led the country in purses in 1998-99 with a total of almost $32 million, said their relationship began to unravel at last year’s Derby and worsened in December when he didn’t run Forest Camp in the Hollywood Futurity. Forest Camp, winner of the Del Mar Futurity in September, ran sixth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November. Saturday’s race was his third consecutive loss.

Baffert won the Hollywood Futurity with Captain Steve, a colt owned by his long-time client Mike Pegram. Baffert and Pegram teamed up to win the 1998 Derby with Real Quiet.

“Aaron was very disappointed when I didn’t run his horse in the Futurity,” Baffert said. “He thought I kept his horse out to make it easier for Mike’s horse. That wasn’t the reason. The race just didn’t set up for Forest Camp. I feel like Jimmy Johnson, when he got fired [by the Dallas Cowboys] after winning the Super Bowl. Eduardo’s becoming the Barry Switzer of racing.”

Inda was an assistant to Ron McAnally at a time when McAnally trained horses for Jones. After about 20 years as an assistant, including John Henry’s campaigns in 1981 and ‘84, Inda left McAnally to form his own stable in 1995.

Included among Jones’ 2-year-olds are a colt by Mr. Prospector that cost $3 million; a Holy Bull colt that was bought for $750,000; and a daughter of Mr. Greeley that cost $750,000. Inda’s stable won 15 races in 1999.

“I’m really sorry to lose those horses,” Baffert said. “Those were some really good 2-year-olds, and you hate to buy horses like that and see them wind up with another trainer. I think Aaron wants to be the No. 1 guy in a stable, and with my operation that wasn’t possible.”

Under Baffert, Prime Timber was scheduled to run in next Saturday’s $300,000 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes. Inda said he would talk with Jones early in the week before a decision is made on the San Fernando. Baffert is planning to run two horses--General Challenge and Straight Man--in the San Fernando.