Baffert expecting "a big race" from Pioneerof the Nile
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from the Louisville Courier-Journal:
After Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile turned in a sparkling workout at Churchill Downs yesterday morning, trainer Bob Baffert quipped, "He's ready for the Black-Eyed Susan."
That's a light-hearted reference to the behind-the-scenes drama dogging prohibitive favorite filly Rachel Alexandra.
Baffert joked about the Black-Eyed Susan, Friday's filly counterpart to the Preakness. But he was very serious discussing Pioneerof the Nile, who worked a half-mile in 473/5 with a gallop-out time of 1:001/5.
Pioneerof the Nile, gleaming with dapples and whom Baffert said has gained weight since the Derby, went his last eighth-mile in 112/5 seconds and the last quarter-mile in 231/5 under former jockey Joe Steiner.
"He looked great," Baffert said. "I expect him to come back and run a big race."
With entries to be taken tomorrow, it appears no more than a capacity 14 horses will go in Saturday's 13/16-mile Preakness, assuring a spot for Rachel Alexandra, who was sold last week to wine magnate Jess Jackson. Because she was not nominated to the Triple Crown by her previous owners, it will cost $100,000 to make her a supplemental Preakness entry.
Even then, a supplement cannot get in over a nominated horse. That tempted some owners to enter a horse just to keep her out, but they had backed down by yesterday.
Baffert ran the last Oaks winner to take on a Derby winner, with his champion filly Silverbulletday finishing seventh while Charismatic, the Lukas-trained Derby and Preakness winner, was third in the 1999 Belmont.
"We don't know what she's going to do with males," he said. "But she's a great filly. But I think we have a great horse."
Baffert said he later was "mad" at himself for running Silverbulletday in the Belmont, though she rebounded to win Saratoga's Alabama. He also ran the filly Excellent Meeting, fifth in the '99 Derby, back in the Preakness, in which she was eased.
"I know I would never do it again with a filly," he said. "It really takes a lot out of them."
However, he said the presence of Rachel Alexandra brings a lot to the Preakness.
"It's going to be exciting, just as big as the Derby having a great filly like that running with these colts," he said.
Baffert said Pioneerof the Nile, the Santa Anita Derby winner, reminds him of Silver Charm, his first Derby and Preakness winner in 1997, because of the way he doesn't want to let another horse pass.
In reference to the front-running Rachel Alexandra, he quipped, "One thing about it, he's got a very expensive target running in front of him this time.
" But the more I think about it, I'm glad she's in there. Now that we can't go for the Triple Crown, we're running for glory. There's no shame in running second in the Derby -- but there's no glory. If we beat her, great. If we don't, well she does give you goose bumps watching her."
On Sunday, the connections of some Preakness horses -- including Pioneerof the Nile and Derby winner Mine That Bird -- contemplated entering additional horses in the Pimlico classic to keep Rachel Alexandra out of the race.
By late Sunday, Mine That Bird co-owner Mark Allen and Pioneerof the Nile owner Ahmed Zayat had backed down, with Allen calling his plan to enter the maiden Indy Express "selfish" and "wrong."
Five-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas said his intention to enter impressive maiden-winner Luv Gov in the Preakness in addition to Flying Private came with the proviso that it not keep out Rachel Alexandra.
"Marylou Whitney is too much of a sportswoman to be in a controversy like that," Lukas said of Luv Gov's owner. "If (Rachel Alexandra) is excluded on our entry, we will withdraw at entry time."
Zayat, on hand for Pioneer's work yesterday, said he did not want to comment after Sunday's flap.
"Before I've said it: I want to run against everybody. (But) when people start calling me I changed my mind," he said. "Then I changed my mind again two hours later."
Allen, who owns Mind That Bird with Leonard Blach, said he just wanted to keep jockey Calvin Borel, who is Rachel's regular rider.
"After talking to my dad and Dr. Blach and taking a Harley ride, I kind of came to my senses," he said. " It was definitely selfish. I was getting greedy. It was the wrong thing to do."
Mike Smith is to ride Mine That Bird if Borel isn't available, though trainer Chip Woolley said he still plans to name Borel at entry time.
Mine That Bird, with Borel aboard, went a half-mile in 491/5 seconds, the last eighth-mile in 121/5 seconds, in what Woolley termed going in as a "leg-stretcher."
"He didn't flare a nostril coming back," Woolley said. "Calvin did a great job."
After Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile turned in a sparkling workout at Churchill Downs yesterday morning, trainer Bob Baffert quipped, "He's ready for the Black-Eyed Susan."
That's a light-hearted reference to the behind-the-scenes drama dogging prohibitive favorite filly Rachel Alexandra.
Baffert joked about the Black-Eyed Susan, Friday's filly counterpart to the Preakness. But he was very serious discussing Pioneerof the Nile, who worked a half-mile in 473/5 with a gallop-out time of 1:001/5.
Pioneerof the Nile, gleaming with dapples and whom Baffert said has gained weight since the Derby, went his last eighth-mile in 112/5 seconds and the last quarter-mile in 231/5 under former jockey Joe Steiner.
"He looked great," Baffert said. "I expect him to come back and run a big race."
With entries to be taken tomorrow, it appears no more than a capacity 14 horses will go in Saturday's 13/16-mile Preakness, assuring a spot for Rachel Alexandra, who was sold last week to wine magnate Jess Jackson. Because she was not nominated to the Triple Crown by her previous owners, it will cost $100,000 to make her a supplemental Preakness entry.
Even then, a supplement cannot get in over a nominated horse. That tempted some owners to enter a horse just to keep her out, but they had backed down by yesterday.
Baffert ran the last Oaks winner to take on a Derby winner, with his champion filly Silverbulletday finishing seventh while Charismatic, the Lukas-trained Derby and Preakness winner, was third in the 1999 Belmont.
"We don't know what she's going to do with males," he said. "But she's a great filly. But I think we have a great horse."
Baffert said he later was "mad" at himself for running Silverbulletday in the Belmont, though she rebounded to win Saratoga's Alabama. He also ran the filly Excellent Meeting, fifth in the '99 Derby, back in the Preakness, in which she was eased.
"I know I would never do it again with a filly," he said. "It really takes a lot out of them."
However, he said the presence of Rachel Alexandra brings a lot to the Preakness.
"It's going to be exciting, just as big as the Derby having a great filly like that running with these colts," he said.
Baffert said Pioneerof the Nile, the Santa Anita Derby winner, reminds him of Silver Charm, his first Derby and Preakness winner in 1997, because of the way he doesn't want to let another horse pass.
In reference to the front-running Rachel Alexandra, he quipped, "One thing about it, he's got a very expensive target running in front of him this time.
" But the more I think about it, I'm glad she's in there. Now that we can't go for the Triple Crown, we're running for glory. There's no shame in running second in the Derby -- but there's no glory. If we beat her, great. If we don't, well she does give you goose bumps watching her."
On Sunday, the connections of some Preakness horses -- including Pioneerof the Nile and Derby winner Mine That Bird -- contemplated entering additional horses in the Pimlico classic to keep Rachel Alexandra out of the race.
By late Sunday, Mine That Bird co-owner Mark Allen and Pioneerof the Nile owner Ahmed Zayat had backed down, with Allen calling his plan to enter the maiden Indy Express "selfish" and "wrong."
Five-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas said his intention to enter impressive maiden-winner Luv Gov in the Preakness in addition to Flying Private came with the proviso that it not keep out Rachel Alexandra.
"Marylou Whitney is too much of a sportswoman to be in a controversy like that," Lukas said of Luv Gov's owner. "If (Rachel Alexandra) is excluded on our entry, we will withdraw at entry time."
Zayat, on hand for Pioneer's work yesterday, said he did not want to comment after Sunday's flap.
"Before I've said it: I want to run against everybody. (But) when people start calling me I changed my mind," he said. "Then I changed my mind again two hours later."
Allen, who owns Mind That Bird with Leonard Blach, said he just wanted to keep jockey Calvin Borel, who is Rachel's regular rider.
"After talking to my dad and Dr. Blach and taking a Harley ride, I kind of came to my senses," he said. " It was definitely selfish. I was getting greedy. It was the wrong thing to do."
Mike Smith is to ride Mine That Bird if Borel isn't available, though trainer Chip Woolley said he still plans to name Borel at entry time.
Mine That Bird, with Borel aboard, went a half-mile in 491/5 seconds, the last eighth-mile in 121/5 seconds, in what Woolley termed going in as a "leg-stretcher."
"He didn't flare a nostril coming back," Woolley said. "Calvin did a great job."
Comments
I'll make a T-Shirt wager says he runs in the money.
Vikings for you. Bears for me.
Alright we'e locked in then. Nothing fancy just a $20 tee or so for a fun wager. I'll send you my addy sunday morning :clap2: