April 2, 2019
Santa Anita Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Wood Memorial Preview
Guests
- Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer, Haikal
- Bob Baffert, trainer, Game Winner
- John Servis, trainer, Jaywalk and Lucky Lee
Full transcript (Note: Transcript has not been edited)
P R E S E N T A T I O N
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 that time, participants are asked to press star one to register for a question. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Ms. Alicia Hughes. Please go ahead.
Alicia Hughes:
Thank you, Carolyn, and welcome everyone to this week’s NTRA teleconference on this year’s Road to the Triple Crown. This week we’ve got three scheduled guests to catch up with in advance of what figures to be a massive weekend of action across the country with implications on both the Derby trail and in the handicap race. This Saturday features three prep races, which will offer 100 qualifying points to the winner towards the Kentucky Derby in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park, the Grade II Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Grade II Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Keeneland is also hosting a major prep race for the Kentucky Oaks with the Grade I Ashland Stakes, while Santa Anita also has the Santa Anita Oaks, as well as the Santa Anita Handicap among its five greatest[?] stakes races this Saturday.
One trainer who is well versed in traveling this prep trail is Lexington native, Kiaran McLaughlin. Kiaran has saddled eight starters in the Derby in his career with his best finish coming when Closing Argument finished second in 2005. He has another top contender this year with Haikal, winner of the Gotham Stakes on March 9th and one of the expected favorites for this Saturday’s Wood Memorial. Kiaran, thank you so much for joining us today.
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Thanks for having me.
Alicia Hughes:
And in the Gotham Stakes, Haikal, he got an ideal pace setup but he still looks like a beaten horse with about an eighth of a mile to go there. When you look back at the day and you look at the field he beat, a couple of Grade 1 winners, in a very well regarded horse with Instagrand, what did you learn about him that day?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Well, he stepped up big time against greater stake horses. And then it’s the same way he’s been finishing but past better horses this time. So it was exciting to see him finish that way and run so well. And obviously we’re not going to get a 44 high[?] in the Wood Memorial but hopefully there’s plenty of speed and he’ll not be quite as far back.
Alicia Hughes:
Yeah. That was going to lead me to my next question. It looks like on paper that the pace setup for the Wood is going to be inherently slower. Do you feel like his kick can be as effective if he does have to settle[?] a little bit closer this time around?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Hopefully it will. He should be mid pack or toward the rear but not so far back if they’re going 47 or 48. But he seems to finish there as well. Every start he’s finished really well, the last [inaudible] 16. So hopefully he will [inaudible] all learn that [inaudible].
Alicia Hughes:
And he’s a half brother to a very good – another horse who was very good to you, in [inaudible] who was a pretty successful sprinter. And any concerns – were there any concerns or are there still any concerns in your mind as far as his ability to handle the distance going forward considering his pedigree?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
No, because his father was just very, very difficult. He was a run-off and just was tough to train. And this horse is the opposite; does everything right. Different horse, got a great mind. [Inaudible], nice stride. And we feel like he might even be better [inaudible]. You never know but at least he should be able to handle them on [inaudible].
Alicia Hughes:
Sounds good, Kiaran. Looks like we’ve got a lot of participants on the line. So without further ado, I will throw it back to Carolyn and we can open it up to see if there is any questions from the media.
Operator:
Certainly. And once again, if anyone does have a question, please press star one at this time.
And we’ll go first to Tim Wilkin with the Albany Times Union.
Tim Wilkin:
Hi Kiaran. You don’t think this horse is just a one-run closer, do you?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Well, no, I don’t. We hope not and we think that two times we’ll find out Saturday but he just does everything right. He’s got a great mind and he finishes so well. Obviously we had a very fast pace last time. We won’t have that. But we feel like he’ll get the nine-furlong and just hope that there’s a decent pace.
Tim Wilkin:
What are your thoughts on this prep season? It seems like there’s no one that stepped forward and taken command of the division? Do you agree with that?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Yes, I do. I mean, I think the two Baffert horses ran very well, unlucky to lose and [inaudible] and the Rebel, both of them. They both ran very well and the Florida Derby was interesting. That horse is very talented, Maximum Security. He’s won every time by open length. So being that he ran from lane 16, throw[?] that out because he’s such a talented horse. But it is pretty wide open and we’re happy to have a lot of horses involved and ready to go Saturday.
Tim Wilkin:
When did you realize that you had something with him?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Well, he trained always very well and both time we ran him, it was [inaudible] and then we said don’t get in a hurry. You don’t have a lot of speed. Just close. Hopefully, he’ll come run in to win and he came flying and just missed by a neck. And it’s funny how the game goes. Jose said, ‘I want to stay with this horses, this is a very talented horse. Don’t take me off. I’ll come back and ride.’- But in this game, it just happens that way when I talk with his agent, ‘We’re going to run back here. Can you come?’ ‘No, sorry we do [inaudible].’ So it just happens that I get along with his agent. But we really liked that – the horse that day. Obviously, I even asked my [inaudible] to ride another seven-furlongs in one mile race platform[?] but he ran a six-furlong in a mile and eight, so we had – I didn’t think he was ready a mile and eight, so we went backwards to six-furlongs. And then one with seven, eight and now we’re up to nine. So very talented.
Tim Wilkin:
Thanks Kiaran.
Kiaran McLaughlin:
All right, Tim. Thank you.
Operator:
And we’ll take our next question from Alan Carasso with Thoroughbred Daily News.
Alan Carasso:
Hey, Kiaran. How are you?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Great. Thanks Alan. How are you?
Alan Carasso:
I’m good, thanks. It’s interesting to look at his pedigree and there’s been a lot of talk that he might be a one-turn type of horse that needs a good pace ahead of him. But being that his paternal grandsire’s Breeders Cup Classic winner and his grandsire’s Kentucky Derby winners. He’s got seeking[?] the gold in the pedigree as well. All that being said, the female family does seem to be tilt towards speed. You are convinced that the nine and 10-furlongs will be up to rally?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
We’re not convinced but we feel like that it is and we will find out more Saturday afternoon because we’re gone six, seven, eight and nine-furlongs. But his attitude is great. [Inaudible] has lot of ground. He’s got a lot of scope. And he just does everything asked of him. So we don’t think that nine-furlong should be a problem but that we’ll find out. We like him at the nine-furlong.
Alan Carasso:
Right. Obviously you’ve gone close to four and the Derby – at least you mentioned with Closing Argument you had sort of a taste there, more than taste of what victory might be like. But considering your Kentucky routes and your relationship with [inaudible], what would get into this Derby and the performing well mean to you this time?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Well, it’d be fabulous to get there and perform well. We’ve been [inaudible] times also with the second and three [inaudible]. But this was the only horse we nominated this year and we’re happy that we’re there and getting there. And it would just be unbelievable to win it [inaudible] but even [inaudible] we would be happy. But obviously we’re in it to try and win it if we belong and things go well after the Wood Memorial.
Alan Carasso:
And when you say we, it’s the only horse in your barn or the only [inaudible] horse or –?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
The only horse that we nominated in my barn this year for the Derby. It’s kind of interesting in that we’re getting there and it’s – we’re close to being able to run. So it’s exciting.
Alan Carasso:
Great. Thank you very much. Best of luck.
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Thank you.
Operator:
And our next question comes from David Grening with The Daily Racing Forum.
David Grening:
Hi Kiaran. Obviously, you had enough points to get in, but what does he need to do Saturday to convince you that he does belong?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Yes, he needs to have a good performance. We don’t like this [inaudible] to run in the Derby. So he should – he needs to run well or have a big excuse. And hopefully all goes well and he has a clean trip and runs well. [Inaudible] strong again, so into a slower pace. So we don’t have to go if he doesn’t run well. We hope that he runs well. Everything that we’ve seen, he’s doing great. So he should run well and we’ll move on to Derby.
David Grening:
You had Frosted who was exceptional at one turn and two turns. Are there are any similarity? When you look at this horse, do you see any similarities that you can draw upon with Frosted?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
No, it’s a little early yet to tell, but he does everything right and he’s got a great mind, as Frosted did too and we like everything about him. But it’s hard to compare those two. Frosted was probably one of the best horses I ever trained, so it’s hard to say that right now. Hopefully I can say that about this horse also.
David Grening:
Fair enough. Thanks. Good luck.
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Thanks David.
Operator:
And we have no one else in the queue at this time.
Alicia Hughes:
Kiaran, I said you’ve mentioned a few times just what a good mind that this horse has. I mean, how key is that when you’re – having a good mental state when you’re trying to get a horse to kind of stretch out to these classic distances[?], as being able to have one that knows how to kind of relax and settle?
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Yeah, it’s very important but more important with this horse because of his pedigree and his brother because we all were a little concerned that would he be just one [inaudible] well. We kind of took that out of the equation because the Takafal was just a run-off. He was very difficult. So this horse’s mind is great and that’s why we say that he’s a different type of horse even though he’s a half-brother to Takaful.
Alicia Hughes:
Perfect. Well, Kiaran, again, thank you so much for joining us this week, and like I said, continue best of luck with everything on the Derby trail. And hopefully we’ll all be chatting in [inaudible] in a handful of weeks.
Kiaran McLaughlin:
Yeah, that would be great. Thank you very much for having me.
Alicia Hughes:
Thanks again, Kiaran. And next up we are going to check in with the reigning king of the American Classics, Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert. Last year saw Bob condition his second Triple Crown winner in Justify, having already ended the 37-year drought with American Pharaoh in 2015. As usual, Bob is loaded once again this year with top talent, including reigning juvenile male champion, Game Winner, who is set to make his second start of the year this Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby. In addition to Game Winner, he also has Grade 1 winner, McKinzie, set to start in the Santa Anita Handicap for this weekend. Bob, thank you again so much for coming on the call this week.
Bob Baffert:
Sure. Any time.
Alicia Hughes:
I said, the Rebel Stakes, I know that obviously it goes down as Game Winners’ first career defeat, as he was beaten a nose that day by Omaha Beach. But that said, given that he was making his first start since the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, I’m not sure that you could have asked for much more from him that day. What evidence have you seen from him in the morning since, that tells you that you are indeed dealing with a much tighter horse going into this weekend?
Bob Baffert:
Well, I mean, I was really happy with the race. He got away a little bit. He was staying a little bit awkwardly and he left awkward and he’s pretty far back early. Then he made a very gallant run at Omaha Beach. And Omaha Beach, it was a great horse race of two really good horses and he’s come back since then. He looks good., he looks really good training here. So I’m really looking forward to this weekend.
Alicia Hughes:
Yeah, it looks like he had a very good work yesterday. I think I saw where you referred to him as Hercules. I know that he’s not always the flashiest horse but what are just some of the intangibles that you think that he has about him that makes him an exceptional runner?
Bob Baffert:
Well, I think the thing about him, he’s tough, he’s gritty. He showed that in his last race. He had every chance when he was behind there to not finish like he did. He tries hard. And he gives it his all. He shows up every time and that’s all you can ask for a horse, just shows up. He’s going to try hard. And that’s what you need. Coming to the Derby, you want a horse that’s resilient. He’s got adversity[?]. He came through and so you want to see that. And really – I wanted to run him the week before but they cancelled the race[?] [inaudible]. Coming back in three weeks after shift[?] can be a little tough but now I’ll have four weeks after this, so that will really help.
Alicia Hughes:
Yeah, toughness certainly is not his problem. He’s proven that so far. But without further ado, as I said, Bob, I know you are always one of our most popular. I will throw it back to Carolyn and see if we have any questions from the media.
Operator:
And everyone, please press star one if you want to enter the queue for a question. We’ll go first to Tom Jicha with Horse Race Insider.
Tom Jicha:
Yeah. Bob, there’s been a lot of speculation after the two races in Arkansas that the disruption in the training schedule, planning to run him[?] before out West and having to ship him took its toll. What in your opinion did that – effect did that have? And then kind of, are you at all worried that it could happen again given what’s going on out there?
Bob Baffert:
No, I’ve been assured that everything at Reno[?] [inaudible], we will run this weekend. And I’m looking forward to it, I think it’s going to be a big day. We got great racing and it’s going to be a great car[?] and it’s good to see everybody back working. Because my concern what’s been going out here is the employees, there’s tens of thousand people that are – that work in the racing industry here in California. And so I would like [inaudible] normalcy. I think this is unusual what happened this winter. I think some of [inaudible] anomaly but with the record rains and the surface here is they’ve been – they’ve made some changes with it. I don’t know what’s going on here but – and I think a lot of horses during the rainy season and some of these horses were just – I don’t know, they were just wore out or what. But I think last few days, they’ve worked probably 2,000 horses racing[?] and there hasn’t been any issues. So there’s always that – they can always – they’re athletes. There can always be injuries but hopefully we’re moving forward and we need – like we’ve just been in a – like we’ve been under this dark cloud, so hopefully we can move forward.
Tom Jicha:
And the effect that planning to run them on March 9th and having to put them on a plain and running half way close to country on March 16th. Just in your opinion, what toll did that take?
Bob Baffert:
I think it’s – it [inaudible] American Pharaoh, I know that. So I think he’s a good horse, you have to have a good horse. But I look back in the old days. They used to run these horses – I mean, I think Secretariat ran 9, 10, 11 times. So sometimes it’s better just to run these horses than to train them so I don’t think it’ll have an effect.
Tom Jicha:
Thank you.
Operator:
And next we’ll go to John Pricci with Horseraceinsider.com.
John Pricci:
Good afternoon, Bob. Game Winner’s greatest workout, I noticed that you’ve put him inside of – at[?] the door. And most guys seem to do it the other way around with a big horse on the outside, stalking, getting him to finish and all of that. Can you tell me something about what your thinking was in terms of having him break off on the inside of the work mate[?] as opposed to the outside?
Bob Baffert:
John, the reason I do that is because I want him to control the work. I don’t want him to go too fast or too slow, so he comes off the pace anyway but I want both of them just to stay at that level. So I’ve done this a lot with him. I’m not trying to – I know he’s not a speed horse but I want the work to go – I want him to control the pace, I want him to control the work. And so I just keep a little pressure because he’s the kind of horse, by himself, if I have him on the outside, he loses focus. So if he’s inside with the horse, right there just next to him, it just keeps him focused on the work.
John Pricci:
Okay. And you notice that he’s got that wing in his right fore[?] and everything. Can you explain something about that, how that works? How he can be so good and yet maybe to the eye, his action is sort of less than perfect?
Bob Baffert:
Well, I mean – all these horses, they all have different way of moving [inaudible] really But it hasn’t affected him at all. I mean, that’s just the way he’s made. But I think if he was a sprinter, John, it probably be – he’s not going to go a half 44 flat. He’s not going to go 21 in Jan[?]. He’s just a steady kind of horse that’s got a nice kick steady. So he’s really never going to get up, going that fast, and that’s why he’s been very healthy, knock on words because I don’t want to jinx myself. But I’ve never really worried about it.
John Pricci:
Bob, and the last one from me and getting back to that inside work again. Every time I picture him in my mind’s eye, I see him flying by horses on the outside. Is part of that, or do you think the training on the inside, if he’s necessarily in a large field, find yourself – I don’t know – between horses at the top of the lane or something and he may have to duck to the inside to running room? Is that – does that also go into that part of the equation in terms of working among the inside to see if that – if he will act the same way rallying inside as opposed to out?
Bob Baffert:
No, not at all. I mean, he’s a horse that he’s just – I mean, he’s not going to be bothered by that. He’s not – he’s not quick enough to really make the lead and we don’t want him to be that quick. So he’s just – he’s steady. He’s got tactical state[?], which will put him within five lengths of the leader and then he just comes, makes his run and the further the better for him. But the reason I do that is I don’t want him – I want him to control – I don’t want him going too fast. I want him to control it.
John Pricci:
Okay. Well, may you all have a safe trip on Saturday, Bob.
Bob Baffert:
Thank you, John.
Operator:
And we’ll take our next question from Tim Wilken with the Albany Times Union.
Tim Wilken:
In the Rebel, the first race since the Breeders Cup, [inaudible] impressive second the way he ran. What kind of step forward do you expect him to take on Saturday?
Bob Baffert:
I think he’s just – I just want him – if he just ran the same race, I would be fine with it because the next one, definitely we really want him to take the big step. Right now, we just want to keep him – these horses, they need to run one, two to get there and we just want them to stay healthy and keep them right there in that level. And we really don’t want to blow out race the race before. And so as long as he just stays – I’ve let him just come into his own and so that’s what I’m looking for. I want – just the same type of race will be fine with me.
Tim Wilken:
And if you were to take a line from the NCAA[?] tournament seating-wise, would he be your number one seat in your barn?
Bob Baffert:
I don’t get to vote.
Tim Wilken:
Are you the coach?
Bob Baffert:
The last prep race is the most important race. That’s when we find out how they are seated. So they’re – it’s – they’re playing the game. I have him. I have Improbable which I think is a very good horse. I have Roadster who’s [inaudible], who he started out as the number one seat. And then he had some time off. But when they go a mile eight, Tim, that separates – the cream rises the top. The mile eight separates them all. The mile sixteen [Inaudible] but mile eight makes the difference.
Tim Wilken:
And Desmond[?], what’s up with him?
Bob Baffert:
Desmond, he [inaudible] yesterday. I was going to – I was thinking of going to the Wood with him but I changed my mind. I wasn’t really… His work[?] was nice but it wasn’t like over the top. I was looking for something over the top, so I’m just going to wait a little bit on him.
Tim Wilken:
Great. Thanks Bob.
Bob Baffert:
Thank you.
Operator:
And we’ll go next to Art Wilson with The Southern California Newsgroup.
Art Wilson:
Yeah, Bob. Is this a fun time of the year for you, or is there too much pressure involved to have fun?
Bob Baffert:
Well, it was supposed to be fun because I was talking yesterday, this is our version of March madness this time [inaudible] going on. But I think once we get to Saturday and there’s been a lot of going on here. Unfortunately, in California, we’ve been getting beaten down pretty good. But hopefully you know what, it’s a beautiful sport. People don’t really understand it. We’ve had some bad luck here and it’s very unusual what’s going on here. And so hopefully everybody’s – trainers, everybody get together and we want to make it as safe as possible on these horses. And so they’re – these horses, they’re not our livelihood, they are our way of life. And there’s lot of people back here that are employees and we have to make this work because there’s – I worry about the families. I have a lot of employees, I worry about their families, everything else, they’re worrying. If – racing needs[?] to do well. So it’s been better. This last month has been, I would say, a little stressful.
Art Wilson:
Well, because you have already won five Derbies, two Triple Crowns in four years, is there a less pressure on you to get one of these – another one as opposed to someone who’s still looking for their first or second?
Bob Baffert:
No, I think I feel the same anxiety. Going in you’re trying to keep healthy, find the right move for them. I think it feels very stressful but I mean, any coach, I’m sure [inaudible], he just get just as stressed as he does winning – getting ready for another Super Bowl so I never… To me, once the year is over, if we just clean the slate, it’s all over. I’m going in there like I’m trying to win my first Derby.
Art Wilson:
Right, okay. Thanks Bob.
Operator:
And we’ll go next to Alan Carasso with Thoroughbred Daily News.
Alan Carasso:
Hi Bob. Yeah, in a similar vein, the fact that both Game Winner and Improbable dropped their last races to lose their unbeaten records. Does that take a bit of the pressure off in not having unbeaten horses entering the final prep in the Triple Crown races?
Bob Baffert:
No. Well, not really. I think we wanted to win those races. And so I mean, Improbable, now he has to run lights out in the Arkansas Derby. He needs to run first or second if he’s going to get in the Derby. So I think there’s more pressure now because he didn’t win that race. So it comes down to point. But then again if you can’t run [inaudible] talking about prep, do you need to be in this Kentucky Derby? I’m just hoping if we take him up there, he gets a great – he has a chance to win. Racing like is so important right now. That’s what I worry about. So if they’re good enough, they’ll get it done.
Alan Carasso:
Thank you.
Operator:
And we’ll next to David Grening wit