For those passionate about horse racing, it’s essential to note that the Santa Anita Derby is the upcoming focus for numerous trainers. This also encompasses Bob Baffert. The 72-year-old is gearing up for a significant return at Churchill Downs, yet he has encountered numerous obstacles during the preparation races for the Run for the Roses. In just a few hours, he is set to arrive at Santa Anita for the highly anticipated Santa Anita Derby. What is the reason for that?
Two of his horses, Citizen Bull and Barnes, are set to compete in the race, and there’s palpable anticipation surrounding their performance against the field. What is Baffert’s perspective on this Grade 1 race?
“I think it’s the toughest (Kentucky Derby) prep of the year. Journalism is the horse to beat and we still don’t really know how good Baeza is. He’s a nice horse. I think we’ll know more when they hit the three-eighths pole,” stated the 72-year-old trainer, according to the Paulick Report.
With his two top horses in the running for those coveted Kentucky Derby points, he is acutely aware of the stiff competition ahead. And in this race, it will particularly emerge from the field of reporting. During the San Felipe Stakes, Barnes established an early lead with Juan Hernandez aboard, maintaining the front position until the eighth pole, where Journalism made a decisive move to take over.
This stirred considerable turmoil for Baffert at the time, yet now, he anticipates his colt will make a comeback. For Barnes and Citizen Bull, the Santa Anita Derby is set to be a pivotal event, offering significant points on the line. But what is the cost? The sequence progresses as follows: 75, 37.5, 18.75, 11.25, and 7.5 points. However, while Baffert is nervous about the Grade 1 race, his horse’s jockey has shown quite a level of confidence.
Putting his confidence in Bob Baffert’s horse
Jockey Juan Hernandez conveys a confident outlook on Barnes’ performance in the forthcoming Santa Anita Derby. The jockey shared his thoughts on riding Barnes, stating, “It was his first time going long. I think he’ll get a lot of benefit from that race. He didn’t have the experience of going two turns and he still ran great.”
The San Felipe Stakes might not have marked a victory for the horse, but the jockey perceives it as a chance for growth. Hernandez conveys a firm belief in riding Barnes, asserting that the three-year-old has learned important lessons from the mistakes encountered in his last race at the popular racecourse.
Moreover, Barnes’ workout left a significant impression, as the horse managed to complete a half-mile in just 48 seconds. As the hours tick down, anticipation builds to see how the horse will perform against its rivals at Santa Anita.
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