Granted, this race doesn't often predict participation in the TC preps, though Baffert has used it to bring some forward in recent years.  Nyquist famously won en route to a successful Derby.

This year, unbelievably, has Baffert with 80% of the entrants....yep, 4 out of 5 entered.  He has won the race 10 times I think, and it looks like he will again.  Probably have the tri, maybe even the super :)

I expect that the winner will go on to the San Felipe, and possibly the 2nd place colt will go on to the Rebel at OP.  I like Faustin here.....though Fort Warren also intrigues me.

This is some kinda joke race. 

By the way, next week's derby prep at SA has 16 nominations..........14 of them are trained by Bob Baffert.  LOL 


I suppose this means that a Derby Prep race at SA or anywhere else in California can't SURVIVE w/out Bob.  /s

(To hear some tell it, the sport of U.S. horse racing itself cannot survive without Bob.   hahahahaha)


His people better get started filling out those paper-trainer forms....

 

Yes, in some ways a joke race, but in others, well, I guess I just wonder if it is still meaningful for him to know which of his royally bred colts can actually show up on game day.  He works some of his less-experienced horses as though they were racing, that's why the works are so fast often.  He puts one on the lead, one on the outside, and they sort of "spar" with each other.....thus he gets a good idea of how they are maturing.

But I can't help but think that on a racing day, in front of some fans, with the hoopla, that it could be different.  Wondering about Fort here, could be one of the sneaky better ones....

Do u sign and sell?

Here is something we have to ask ourselves, and the answer has to be honest:

Jamie Ness trains at a very high level.   But he's not getting Baffert's kind of stock. 

If he was, he would be a household name.  

Would that be okay with everybody? 



 

I think Jamie Ness trains at a high level for the same reason that Baffert does

Gerh said...

I think Jamie Ness trains at a high level for the same reason that Baffert does

That was my point, of course.

The same people who lick Baffert's boots would do the same if it were Jamie Ness.   Or David Wells. Or Murray Rojas.  Or fill-in-the-blank.