Fairmount1 Wrote:
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> A magician he says....hmmm....interesting metaphor
> to call a horse trainer of Baffert's level a
> magician. I wonder why he would want to bring the
> horse in off works. SC mentions he "assume he is
> still in training." Well that's the rub right?
> What little we do know is that the rules for
> certain medications and treatments differ based on
> whether a horse is "in training" or not. So, who
> knows the latest trick double B has up his sleeve
> to counter last year's rule changes that may or
> may not have affected his horses' performances at
> the BC. If he doesn't make the BC with West
> Coast, my guess is that the rest of Baffert's
> brigade may not have a great BC. Something to
> certainly keep an eye on moving ahead.

A few words about the Baffert Brigade:

2018: Baffert Graded Stakes Wins January 1- August 1: 13
2017: Baffert Graded Stakes Wins January 1- August 1: 23

As I have said before, if Baffert wants to slow down, downsize, cut back, he
may end up training a "boutique barn" comprised exclusively of high priced
2YOs and 3YO Triple Crown prospects. But looking at the graded stake stat
above, and taking into consideration that 3 of the 2018 graded stake wins have
been retired, Baffert's possible lack of success at the 2018 BC may just be a
function of him not having the horses this year.

Breeders Cup Wins, 2010-2017

Aidan O'Brien..8
Chad Brown.....8
Bob Baffert....7
Todd Pletcher..6
Steve Asmussen.5
Bill Mott......4

I am sorry if these statistics might have an error or two. It is sometimes
difficult to compose TG posts while people are milling around your desk
clucking about deadlines and filing dates. My point is that by no means should
one consider Baffert a dominant BC trainer.

That being said, and this is difficult for a New Yorker to say, Baffert's three
consecutive BC Classic wins with three different horses has to be mentioned
along with Woody's five consecutive Belmonts (and Oscar S. Barrera winning six
consecutive races with Teriyaki Stake -- all in the month of March, 1986) as
being among the great training feats of all time.