After Derby accident, Thousand Words readying for Preakness

As he entered the paddock for the 2020 Kentucky Derby, Thousand Words was jittery. Trainer Bob Baffert and his team opted to try to saddle him on the walk instead of in his stall, hoping to keep the colt calm and avoid an incident.

Then disaster struck. Thousand Words got spooked, rearing back and falling onto assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes, who broke his wrist and needed nine screws put in to repair the damage, according to Mark Toothaker of Spendthrift Farm, which owns stakes in Thousand Words and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, also trained by Baffert.

Baffert said Barnes is recovering and is “in good spirits.”

Thousand Words was scratched from the race, and while Authentic won the race, questions remained about Thousand Words.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever had a horse that had to scratch in the paddock for saddling ever in my life” Baffert said. “And I’ve run thousands and thousands of quarter horses and Thoroughbreds and never had one scratch in the paddock.”

Following the incident, Thousand Words was examined by the veterinary staff and was found to be completely sound. Baffert said the colt is on track for the 2020 Preakness, though he was not fully impressed with his Saturday work, when he went five furlongs in 1:02.40 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s never going to wow you in the morning,” Baffert said. “He’s not a really fast work horse, but just steady. And he’s funny in that if you try to rush him early, then he gets discouraged.”

The work was the first time jockey Florent Geroux, who was slated to the ride the colt in the Kentucky Derby, had been on board. Geroux will ride Thousand Words in the Preakness if all goes according to plan.

Geroux praised the colt after the morning effort at Churchill Downs.

“Good mover, does everything right,” Geroux said. “Like I said, was just a touch lazy on me early at the beginning of the breeze but after that he was a steady horse, not complicated, I think that was good.”

The colt will be going up against a strong field in this year’s Preakness, which could include Authentic, as well as Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law and Art Collector, who won the Blue Grass Stakes and Ellis Park Derby before scratching from the Run for the Roses.

Thousand Words is a son of Pioneerof the Nile out of Pomeroys Pistol, by Pomeroy. He was purchased by Spendthrift Farm and the Albaugh Family for $1 million at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Each of Baffert's previous five Kentucky Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness. But because of the pandemic-altered schedule, the Preakness is now a month after the Derby, rather than the usual two weeks.

“Just been a crazy year,” Baffert said. “I never had such a crazier year. I can’t wait until 2020 is over.”

The 2020 Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Pimlico.