May 6, 2021
NTRA Road to the Triple Crown
Guests:
Bob Baffert (Concert Tour, Medina Spirit)
Brad Cox (Caddo River, Mandaloun)
Audio of Teleconference:
Operator: Good day. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the NTRA Road to the Triple Crown conference call.
At this time all participants are in a listen-only mode. Following the presentation, we will conduct a question-and-answer session at which time instructions will be provided.
For operator assistance during the call, please press “star,” “0.” Please limit yourself to one primary question and one follow up question before returning to the queue. I would now like to turn the meeting over to Mr. Gluckson. Please go ahead, Mr. Gluckson.
Jim Gluckson: Thank you, (Chris). And good day, everyone. And welcome to the National Thoroughbred Racing Associations Road to the Triple Crown National Media teleconference previewing Preakness 146 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, May 15th.
We will be joined today by our guest, Bob Baffert, who has Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit, Kentucky Derby winner, of course, and Gary and Mary West Concert Tour pointing to the Preakness.
We will also be joined in a little bit by Brad Cox, who has under consideration for the Preakness, Kentucky Derby runner up, Mandaloun of Juddmonte Farms and Shortleaf Stable’s Caddo River. Today’s conference will be recorded and will be placed later today on the NTRA website. And the transcript of this call will also be posted on NTRA.com.
Bob Baffert has set a record for most wins by a trainer in the Kentucky Derby with seven, which he did last week with Medina Spirit. He can set a new record by winning next Saturday’s Preakness, breaking a tie with Robert Wyndham Walden, who won the Preakness seven times between 1875 and 1888. Bob, welcome. How you doing today?
Bob Baffert: Fine Thank you. It’s just been an incredible week. It was an incredible day, Saturday. And it’s just – it’s just great when things work out. You have a plan and it works out, and you just have to appreciate those days.
I think this Derby was, I would say a little bit surprising. I knew we had a nice horse. I just wasn’t sure how good. And I knew the field was really – this year, I’ve never seen a field that was so close to each other to try to separate them. It’s hard to separate a lot of them.
And being, that Essential Quality was the favorite, and he should have with all those wins behind him. But it was just so close. I knew whoever got the trip was, could win the race and we got a great trip.
Jim Gluckson: Absolutely. Terrific ride by Johnny Velasquez as well. We learned that Medina Spirit a jogged the mile yesterday at Churchill. What are your plans for him before shipping to Baltimore?
Bob Baffert: Yes. We’re going to – he went to the track today. We picked him, sent (him to the gate), like I do all my horses after they run. And then, we just galloped him lightly, and he pulled them up on the backside. And he’ll go back to track. And just normal gallops from here on out.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Now, as far as Concert Tour is concerned, of course, you decided to skip the Derby. And it will be six weeks between that race, the Arkansas Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Have you changed anything in its training since that third-place finish and third-place finish? And what are his final workout plans over the next few days?
Bob Baffert: We were very disappointed in his race in Arkansas. And so, after the race, I had Gary, had talked to Gary West. And we talked about it and he didn’t feel comfortable running in the Derby. And let’s give the horse a couple extra weeks.
And it was tough. It was – it was really. That’s one thing about these races. So, it was very a deflating race for us. We really thought we had it good there. And for some reason, he just came up short.
So, Gary didn’t feel comfortable running right back three weeks later in the Derby. He said just take your time with him. And I said, “Well, let me give me – give me a, just give me a week with him. Let me – let me see if there’s an excuse,” so. And I’ve never had a guy, an owner that had a nice horse talk me out of running into Kentucky Derby.
Jim Gluckson: Right.
Bob Baffert: And so, we talked about it. And I really respect Gary West. And he’s been in this forever. And he just said, “You know what? Let’s give the horse a couple of weeks. And maybe run him in the Preakness and if he’s doing well. If he’s not, wait for the Haskell. Just give him a chance.”
He just didn’t want to – he didn’t want to just coming off that race, we just didn’t like it, so. And I really –we looked at the pros and cons of it all. And at the end of the day, he wants to – he wants a good horse for the rest of the year and have fun with.
So, that’s why we didn’t run. We passed it. But I kept working on him like I was going to Preakness. I came back here breezing them, he’s well. And then, I breezed them Sunday, the day after the derby. I worked them next. Actually, I worked him seven-eighths (7/8). I gave them (5/8 in a minute or two), but I let him roll seven-eighths out there and he went like in 24 and two or something.
He’s really like, like a good horse and came out of it really well. And so, I talked to (Bloodstock agent/advisor) Gary (Young). I said, “Gary, what do you think?” I said, “Well”, I said I – it was probably a good call, stay out of the Derby because Arkansas, was three weeks ago, and he just didn’t really run that well.
And so, we thought, is it good enough? Is he training well enough to run in the Preakness? I said yes. And so, “Well, take a…” He’ll run in it and see if he’s, if he’s – if he’s as good as we think he is. Or maybe he’s not as good as we think he is, whatever. But, at least, we’ll give him a chance.
And I still think he’s a he’s a good horse. I think Medina Spirit, he’s really shown us something. He’s really improved. And I think a lot of these horses, too. When they get off the sand, the sandy surface, and they get on a little bit of pasture surface, I could tell the difference in all of my horses when they got to Kentucky.
So, based on that, I’m going to breeze him on Sunday. I’m going to be – I’m coming in there (Churchill Downs) Saturday, breeze them on Sunday. And if he still works to my liking, then we go. And he’s got to work. He’s got to work really well, so.
And so, any – so, I don’t see anything that that would keep me from like today. (Assistant trainer) Jimmy (Barns) is very happy with him. He’s doing well. The riders getting on him, they said that he’s doing great. So, that’s the plan.
Jim Gluckson: All right. All right, very good. Well, let’s now turn it over to the media here for some questions. So, (Chris), let’s begin the process. And again, one question, one comment. A lot of people on the line today. Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, in order to ask a question, press “star” then the number “1” on your telephone keypad. Your first question comes from Steven Whyno. Your line is open.
Steven Whyno: Hey, Bob. I know you’ve done this many times now with taking a Derby winner to the Preakness. But I don’t want to say what’s your secret, but what goes into how well you’re able to train a Derby winner to kind of keep him on rhythm for this two-week turnaround?
Bob Baffert: Well, really, when you when you win the Derby, or you run a horse in the derby, they, and especially if you won the derby, that means your horse is not only a good horse. You can’t win with – you have to win with a good horse.
And he’s in – he’s in peak form. And this horse, Medina, is in peak form right now. And I was, after watching the race and all, he was pretty impressive because he didn’t get an easy lead. He carved out, carved out some serious fractions.
It wasn’t a (gimme). And turning for home when he, when the swarm came, I was expecting all of those horses to go by him. And he just dug in and outran them all the wire. I mean, they had the whole stretch, and that stretch can be brutal.
And I kept thinking of (1996 Derby runner-up) Cavonnier. It’s just – it’s there. It’s there. And I didn’t want to get too excited. And I wasn’t really convinced the whole (backyard). And I thought we had a good chance. But when they’re in that that type of condition, when you go to the Preakness, you don’t have to do much. They just had a – they had a, you know, you just rent them out a quarter to (shorten up).
So, as long as they keep fresh and they look strong, if I saw something where he was knocked out and lost interest. I mean, I remember Lookin’ at Lucky, he was – he ran in the mud, got completely wiped down in Kentucky Derby. He was in the one hole, just got slaughtered.
And the first four days, he just was – just laying down, and he was cut up and just really out of it. And I told the owners, I said, “I’m not going to run him in Preakness.” And by Monday, I told them, “We’re going to run in the Preakness and I think we can win.” It can change that drastically.
I felt the same way with Point Given. So, you usually know by the – I don’t know by the weekend how he’s doing. But so far, he actually handled it pretty well. He’s a horse that – he’s bred to go that far of his pedigree. It’s all – and he’s a light, he’s sort of a light made horse. He’s not a little horse. He’s a tall, he’s (16 one). But he’s got a light frame on them.
And those lighter framed horses, they it’s not as hard on them like a big, strong, heavy horse. But I haven’t seen anything right now that would make me think, well, maybe I should skip the Preakness and so – but I have to see for my own eyes when I go there and watch them train Sunday.
Steven Wynno: Is this horse any different than those horses you’ve had before, the Justifys, the Pharaohs? What makes Medina Spirit different than those horses or similar to those horses?
Bob Baffert: Well, I mean, I really can’t compare them with a horse like American Pharaoh or Justify. They were like superior horses that came in there with hundreds (100s) Beyers. The Beyers were like off the charts. Their numbers were faster.
He’s getting better, though. He is getting better. And we’ve learned a lot about that horse in these races. And so, he’s – what I love about him, he’s like (mended) like Silver Charm, where he’s (gutty). If you put him on this – he’s going to fight. He’s going to – give you that extra.
He’s very – he’s a courageous horse. And so, when he turned for home, he had every reason. I really thought Mandolin would just was just going to go on by him. He would not let him by. And then, he got the – and he did that in the in the Robert Lewis where Hot Rod, Charlie, all of these horses came to (kill) him and he went really, really fast early.
And so, he just fended them all off. But I noticed that day when he did come back, he wasn’t really tired. He wasn’t blowing hard. So, he does have, as all of these good horses, they have a set of lungs on ‘em. And there’s something about them, they’re extra. And you can’t worry about what they cost.
Real Quality was the same way. He was just a horse that was – he only cost 17,000. Actually, Silver Charm was a $15,000 yearling. And we don’t – we don’t, we never take their costs into consideration. And so, he just – he got himself there. And he was down at Los Alamitos training.
And my assistant down there, he doesn’t know how they’re bred or how much we pay for him, but he knows they’re nice horses. And he told me, he says, “I think I’ve got one that acts like a serious horse.” I go, “Who’s that?” I go with Medina Spirit.
He said, “They only gave 35,000 for him.” Well, they got a hell of a deal. And so, it’s – they bring them to the Derby. And that’s what – that’s what Derby is all about. These horses, they bring you there, and he brought them there.
Operator: Your next question comes from Art Wilson. Your line is open.
Art Wilson: Good morning, Bob. Before your thoroughbred career started as a trainer, Bob, if somebody had come up to you and said, you’re going to win seven Kentucky Derbies and two Triple Crown s before your career is over. What would you have said to them?
Bob Baffert: Well, after watching my first three horses run at Santa Anita, and they ran last, got beat about 30 lengths. I was ready to – I was ready to pack up and leave. I remember the first time I came to Santa Anita, brought a horse to run and I was just – it was, I was very intimidated.
I’d see guys like Charlie Whittingham and I was afraid to go up and say hello to him. And it was very intimidating, but it’s so beautiful. And I thought wow. I don’t know about this. I might be in over my head. And I had, but I had the backing of Mike Pegram and (Hale Earnhardt).
And so, I said, “Well, I’ll give it three years. If I can’t get – if I can’t get in here within three years and win a – get rolling, then I’ll just, I can always go back.” And so, that’s what I’ve always done. I was giving myself a three-year window. If I can’t get rolling by three years, and that’s not for me. And so, I did that when I came from Arizona to Los Alamitos. And within three years I was, we got rolling. But I – you just, you just – you have to give yourself that time.
I put a lot of time and effort, but I still have my Quarter Horses to keep me enthused in racing because I was coming here early in the morning, going at night to Los Alamitos running the horses, and I still had top Quarter Horses. So, that kept me from getting sour. If I were to just come in here win one race every six, seven months, I’d probably would have lost interest. But once, and once I got rolling.
And Wayne Lukas, he asked me one day and said, “Do you still have Quarter Horses?” And I said yes. I’m having trouble getting rid of them. And he told me, “Bob, I was the same way. And the minute I got rid of them, my business triples. You need to get rid of them.” And I got rid of them in ’91 and that was it, and he was right.
Art Wilson: And now with Medina Spirit, of course, winning – the fact that you went there under the radar, 12-1, not any – no pressure on. A lot, most people weren’t expecting Medina Spirit to win. Did that make it any more special for you that here’s this horse that you described once to me is like a Joe Frazier. He’s a fighter. Did that make it any more special for you?
Bob Baffert: It actually did. We had a really good time. And it’s nice come under the radar. Anyway, I had a good horse. Did I think I was going to go in there and win it? No. I thought he’d run well. And I was hoping if he got the trip, maybe we could get a piece of it. I felt that way about Cavonnier the same way. I knew I had a fit horse.
But I’ve gotten to the point of my stage of my life where I’m not, I’m not going to go in there and be bragging on my Derby horse or anything like that because that’s just not me. I’m not one to just tell you I am going to win this or whatever.
Because I want to go in there quietly and enjoy myself. And I tell my owners the same thing. Just go in there, enjoy the moment and be prepared. Be prepared for a beat down because it can happen in Derby. And I’ve been so – this game can be so disappointing.
And I tell all of my clients, if you’re – if you’re lucky, if you’re really lucky, and you’re good, you’re going to lose 70 percent of the time. And if you – and you have to be able to handle the beat downs when you get bitten the bad luck, because otherwise don’t even be in the business because there’s more disappointments.
And so, we went in there and I – which was (with Mr. Zedan). I told him. I said, “Look at, you have a nice horse. Go in there, enjoy yourself.” But he was convinced he was going to win the derby. He’s a positive thinker, and that’s good. And Johnny Velasquez, we talked a couple nights in a row there at Jeff Ruby’s, figuring out a strategy when I got the first night. He figured out a strategy. He said, “I’m working on it.” He told me so.
So, finally, the night before we talked about it. And I told him what I really might – how I feel about the horse. What I really have seen about, seeing and know about him.
And he says, “Bob, do you think you have them better than you did for the Santa Anita Derby?” I said he’s much better. He says, “Then, we can win it.” That’s what he told me. So, I said, “I love it. I love your confidence. I’m great. But let’s see what happens.” And then, the rest of history.
Jim Gluckson: OK. Let’s have our next question?
Operator: Your next question comes from (Byron King). Your line is open.
(Byron King): Hi, Bob. First of all, congratulations. Tremendous accomplishment.
Bob Baffert: Thank you.
(Byron King): You’re most welcome. And I wanted to follow up, too, with some of your other top horses and see what you’ve got planned for them. Obviously, you had a highly productive derby week with Gamine and Du Jour winning. And I was curious what you have planned for them and (Cezanne) as time goes by.
And then, lastly, Charlatan. And I noticed he hasn’t worked since the middle of April. And we wanted to see what the game plan for Charlatan.
Bob Baffert: Yes. Yes. Charlatan, I’m going to breeze him on Sunday when I get in there. I’ll breeze him on Sunday. Du Jour and Gamine, I flew them back here. They’re back here in California with me because I brought him back here because of the, being the Tex Sutton, sudden flight situation is.
We don’t know how long they’re going to be down. I know I can get from here to New York. FedEx. And so, I brought them here. I’m just going to freshen them up a little bit. Give them a week there of just chilling.
Cezanne, unfortunately, we had a little setback with him. So, we’re going to miss some time with him. So, he’ll be back in a couple months.
(Byron King): All right. And then, follow up for that regarding your two Preakness horses. Both of them have shown a lot of speed in their wins this year. What do you anticipate going forward given that they have similar styles in the Preakness? What would you anticipate for how that might affect how they prefer to run?
Bob Baffert: Well, I really never share my strategy or anything, but I know what the needs like. And so, when the time comes and we’ll just sit down. And the same thing, we’ll strategize something.
But I let, every horse has – there’s things about each horse, what they want to do, what they don’t want to do. And I’ll sit down and talk to the rider, then they’ll – they got to figure it out. I got Mike Smith here. He’s going to ride them. And Johnny, I don’t have to say much to him. So, something that I run the horses together all the time. And so, we’ll have – we’ll have a plan to figured it out.
(Byron King): Thanks much.
Operator: Your next question comes from (Larry Stumes). Your line is open.
(Larry Stumes): Hi, Bob. You know what? (Byron) just asked the question. I was wondering about with full courses, their best races when they’re on the lead and don’t get passed. And I just wondered if in both jockeys, if they know they’re on the best horse. They’ll like to (end). And it’s been a strategy that’s worked for you in so many big races.
But I just wondered, and you kind of answered what you’re going to tell the people. But still, it still looks like there’s two horses that I know you don’t want them to go head to head. So, how would you avoid that?
Bob Baffert: I think I’ll leave it up to the – I’ll leave it up to those riders. But the break is so important and how they draw on the break, and everything else. So, it’s until we draw the race, and I can sort of figure it out. We figure it out. But I have to really – we got two to Hall of Fame riders that are top class riders.
And so, right now, I’m just trying to get there. We’re still two weeks out, and I have to breeze them and everything else. So, I don’t – I don’t really. Once they draw, and they have to draw on everything, they would figure out something.
But it’s pretty simple. I mean we, like I said, I know my horses really well. And I know what they want, what they don’t want. And I’ve never discussed strategies before a race.
(Larry Stumes): All right. Thanks, Bob. Good luck.
Bob Baffert: Sure.
Operator: And your next question comes from (Tim Sullivan). Your line is open.
(Tim Sullivan): Hey, Bob. When you’re dealing with different owners, and you’ve got a couple of horses entered in a Triple Crown race, is there any kind of a conflict when you think that Concert Tour could maybe hurt Medina’s chances to win it in Baltimore?
And as a second part of that. If you get to the Belmont, as one of the first two with Medina Spirit, would you be inclined to keep Concert Tour out?
Bob Baffert: Well, I don’t think Concert Tour, I don’t think he’ll be in the Belmont because I talked to Gary (West). So, we’ll take, you know, where I’d run in there but he really had no intention of running the Belmont. That’s a really tough, tough race.
And Medina, I don’t know if he were to get beat. I don’t even know if I would run him in the Belmont. He’d probably have to win. And so, I think I would – I’ll cross that bridge when I have to.
And sometimes they – but the clientele that I have, (Tim), is they understand in a big barn and these things happen. We have two horses, three horses. And I’ve had Gary for a long time. I remember I had Arrogate and he had American Freedom. And he wanted to run. I said, “Well, we’ll have another really good horses in there. And I’m fine with it.”
And so, they understand. I’m going to do what’s best for them and for their horse. And I don’t really play favorites. They all have their what happens, happens. So, we deal with it on a weekly basis here. And even in California, I’ll have two, three horses in there. So, it’s one of those things where, you know it’s the jockeys, the jockeys, they’re trying to win. So, I sort of stay out of their way.
(Tim Sullivan): Thank you.
Operator: And there are no further questions at this time.
Jim Gluckson: All right, very good. Well, Bob, thanks very much for taking the time with us today. And good luck to you with your horses next week in the Preakness.
Bob Baffert: Well, thank you very much. All right.
Jim Gluckson: Have a good day.
Bob Baffert: Thanks for having me. All right.
Jim Gluckson: OK, Bob. Bye-bye now. All right. Bob Baffert, everyone. We’re now going to reach out to Brad Cox.
Brad Cox: Good afternoon, Jim.
Jim Gluckson: Brad, good afternoon. How are you?
Brad Cox: I’m great. How are you guys?
Jim Gluckson: Good. We’re doing well. Thank you. Brad, I appreciate you joining us. We were talking about, of course, your considerations for the Preakness and in Juddmonte’s Mandaloun, and Shortleaf Stable’s Caddo River.
Mandaloun, obviously, made a tremendous effort, enormous effort to win the Derby. Just came up a little bit short. I know disappointing it is. But how has he responded since then?
Brad Cox: Really well. We actually took him back to the track today with jogging about a mile and a half. He’s moving extremely well. Energy levels in good order. Everything you want to see from a colt that performed at a high level in a mile and a quarter race last Saturday.
Jim Gluckson: All right. And what are your – what are your plans as far as, as far as his activity, his exercise over the next few days?
Brad Cox: He’ll probably return – he’ll return to galloping tomorrow. We have made the decision in the last hour to bypass the Preakness and point for grade ones throughout the rest of the season, in hopes of making him a grade one winner at three. And that’s kind of where we stand at the current moment.
Jim Gluckson: Oh, all right. All right. Well, let’s talk about the Caddo River for a second. He breezed up four furlongs on Monday over a sloppy track at Churchill. What is your progress report on him?
Brad Cox: Moving well. Not enough. We just haven’t done enough with him or feel like we’ve done enough to pursue the Preakness. And we’re going to target the Matt Winn at Churchill the end of May.
Jim Gluckson: OK. You’re going to target that race. All right. All right. So, just go back to Mandaloun again about this decision.
Brad Cox: Once again, he ran extremely well and hard. And it just feel like we would like to give him some time to running back in two week, we feel like it may compromise his opportunity to run the rest of the year.
And not only the rest of the year, but it may be even as an older horse, so we just feel like it. And the best interest of the horse to running back in two weeks is just not the right thing for him.
Jim Gluckson: All right. All right. Let’s see. All right, understand. Let’s just see if we have any questions out there for you. Let’s go to the question-and-answer session, please.
Operator: Again, if you would like to ask a question, press “star” and the number “1” on your telephone keypad. The first question comes from (EJ Clarke). Your line is open.
(EJ Clarke): Thank you. Hello, again, Brad. Just want to ask you in light of what you’ve just said on this news conference. If we could go back to a Essential Quality.
I know the plans have been announced in the last few days that you’re going to point toward the Pratt. The Travers. Could you give us a little bit more information, Brad, on what we might see from him before he gets to the Travers? In other words, what other races you may be considering at this time?
Brad Cox: Yes. That is the goal this summer is to get into the Travers in the best shape we can. We do feel like there probably be a good opportunity that he could show up in a race prior to the Travers. And that could be possibly the Jim Dandy, something along those lines.
But that’s the short term goal would be that Travers. Now, how we get there? I’m not sure. But, once again, some of the obvious races such as the Jim Dandy would be under consideration.
(EJ Clarke): And also, a follow up to that, Brad. Would he be staying and training at Churchill Downs through the rest of the meet? Or would there – would there possibly be moving up to New York in the next few weeks?
Brad Cox: No. He will stay at Churchill until the first of July. Once, I believe July 4th is our last day of training at Churchill, then obviously the (back end), everyone has to leave due to the current course renovation. But at that point, then we would probably move to Saratoga with him.
(EJ Clarke): Thank you, Brad. And congratulations on your first Derby running second and fourth in the Kentucky Derby with the favorite as well.
Brad Cox: Thanks, (EJ). Thank you very much.
Operator: Your next question comes from (Steven Whyno). Your line is open.
(Steven Win: Hey, Brad. I appreciate you doing this. I know obviously you’re skipping the Preakness with these two horses. But what is it about? You’ve been to Pimlico and done this race before. What is it about the charm of the place that that horsemen seem to love about Pimlico in Baltimore for the second year of Triple Crown?
Brad Cox: The hospitality. They just do a fantastic job after, not only the trainers but the owners, the help, the grooms, the hot walkers, the exercise riders, the foreman’s assistants. They just do a fantastic job making sure that you’re taken care of.
And just all around,