Baffert’s hoping 4th time’s the charm

This Saturday, June 6, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will send American Pharoah out onto the sandy Belmont track on a mission – win the Belmont Stakes (G1) and become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

Baffert has been down this road three times before, with Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem in 2002. Each time, he failed to win the elusive crown.

This year, with jockey Victor Espinoza riding, Baffert is hoping his fourth time will be the charm with American Pharoah.

Of course, Espinoza also has some skin in the game. This is his third attempt to win the Triple Crown. Last year he rode California Chrome to wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness Stakes (G1), but fell short in the Belmont. He also rode War Emblem for Baffert in 2002, but, again, fell short in the Belmont.

So, for both men, a win with American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, will be sweeter than anyone could imagine.

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Sometimes it’s a small world in Thoroughbred racing.

As the sun rises over the hill to the east of Old Friends, a Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., the sun’s early rays streak along the landscape.

The first rays of sunshine wash over Summer Wind Farm, which is across the street from Old Friends, and home to the dam of American Pharoah, Littleprincessmama, who spends her days running around her paddock filled with sweet Kentucky bluegrass with the other mares on the farm.

As the sun’s rays continue to stretch through the early morning, they cross the road and next shine over the paddocks at Old Friends.

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One of the first paddocks the sun touches is now home of Sarava, the 70-to-1 upset winner of the 2002 Belmont Stakes and the horse that denied Baffert and Espinoza their chance at the Triple Crown with War Emblem.

When Michal Blowen, owner of Old Friends, reaches Sarava’s paddock during a tour of the farm, he enjoys telling visitors about the horse.

“A horse that nobody ever thought would win the Belmont Stakes is another horse we have here at Old Friends. (His name) is Sarava,” he says. “If you listen to Sarava’s race replay, you hear Tom Durkin keep referring to him as “longshot Sarava,” and at first I thought that was his name.

“Sarava was the longest shot in the history of the Belmont Stakes, and his owner Gary Drake is a wonderful guy from Louisville. He and his wife, Kitty, come and visit Sarava all the time.

“Sarava never won a race after the Belmont, and, ironically, he ended up out in California being trained by Bob Baffert.”

Sarava is the first Classic winner to come to Old Friends, thanks to his owners.

As the sun’s rays continue to spread across Old Friends, they soon reach the paddock behind Blowen’s house. In that paddock is one of Old Friends’ newest arrivals, and one of Baffert’s favorite horses, Silver Charm.

Silver Charm, who is the first Kentucky Derby winner to come to Old Friends, came very close to winning the Triple Crown in 1997, but was caught at the wire in the Belmont States by Touch Gold.

During tours, Blowen enjoys telling a story about Silver Charm’s race in the Belmont that was told to him by his friend, Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron.

McCarron had ridden Silver Charm earlier in the horse’s career in the San Vicente Stakes, but chose to ride Rob McNally’s horse in the 1997 Classics, because he has always been loyal to the trainer throughout his career. However, McNally’s horse got injured and was unable to run in the race, which is how McCarron ended up on Touch Gold in the Belmont.

“So, (McCarron) took off Silver Charm, and Gary Stevens inherited Silver Charm and rode him to his wins in both the Derby and the Preakness,” Blowen tells visitors. “Chris remembered from the time he rode Silver Charm that Silver Charm really would not let horses pass him if he could see them. So, (in the Belmont), Chris took Touch Gold way off to the middle of the race track and kind of hid behind other horses and then surprised (Silver Charm) at the last minute.

“Gary and Chris both told me that Silver Charm was ahead of Touch Gold before the finish line and after the finish line, but not at the finish line.”

Who knows what would have happened in the race had Silver Charm seen Touch Gold coming, but that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. The past is the past.

Silver Charm was Baffert’s first attempt at winning the Triple Crown, and the loss was, no doubt, a hard one for him.

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Time has marched on since that race year. Baffert had other winning horses, and Silver Charm stood at stud at Three Chimneys farm in Midway Ky., just a few miles from Old Friends. In time, Silver Charm was then sent to Japan, where he stood for most of the past decade.

Then last December, with the conclusion of his stud career, and thanks to his owners, Robert and Beverly Lewis, Three Chimneys farm, and the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association, the now almost-white majestic beauty came home to America to live at Old Friends.

This past May, 2015, 18 years after that fateful race at Belmont Park, Baffert made a pilgrimage of sorts to Old Friends with his wife, Jill, and son, Bode, just a few days prior to running American Pharoah in this year’s Kentucky Derby. He wanted to visit his long-ago friend, Silver Charm, and introduce his son to the horse that started it all for him.

In an article by longtime writer, Steve Haskin, in Blood-Horse magazine, May 9, 2015, “A Part of History,” Haskin describes Baffert’s visit.

“…Baffert had come to Churchill Downs with the Derby favorite before during the past 12 years, but this year was different. This year, he had an old friend to help relieve any anxieties he might be experiencing and to remind him of a special time in his life when he transcended the sport and his profession to become a national celebrity. That special friend, whose toughness and courage first brought Baffert into the hallowed winner’s circle of the Kentucky Derby in 1997 was Silver Charm, who had recently arrived at Old Friends Retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky. after spending nearly a decade in Japan. Several days before the Derby, Baffert, Jill, and Bode made the drive up I-64 to visit Silver Charm, who is now as white as his trainer’s hair.

“It proved to be a cathartic experience for Baffert as he was reunited with the horse who made his career and endeared him to people all over the country. Sometimes a trip back to one’s past can bring the present into focus and make one realize how fortunate they were and are today. It was time for Baffert to introduce his past, and who he is, to his son in the living form of Silver Charm, who before that was just name and a dashing figure seen on video.

“‘Bob was overwhelmed seeing him,’ Jill said. ‘This was the horse who started it all and I think that’s why Bob got so emotional. He’s like your first love. He holds that special place in Bob’s heart.’

Baffert added, ‘Oh, my God, he got me. We saw him from far away and all of a sudden when (Old Friends founder) Michael Blowen called him and he came trotting to the fence. He’s still the same tough horse. I wanted to cry. He made me so emotional.’”

Just a few days later, more relaxed than in year’s past heading into the Classics, Baffert watched American Pharoah win the Kentucky Derby. Two weeks later, American Pharoah romped in the Preakness.

Now, on Saturday, Baffert will be watching his horse run once again, this time in the Belmont Stakes for a chance at history.

At Old Friends and at Summer Wind Farm, two places that now have a number of connections to Baffert and his horses, everyone will be watching as well. And, as Blowen says, “Hopefully, he’ll put it all together with American Pharaoh on Saturday” and bring home the Crown.

To read Steve Haskin’s full article, click here.