Baffert says Justify's 'still on go' for Preakness 2018

It wasn’t a timed workout, but Justify’s open gallop Monday morning at Churchill Downs was as close as the Kentucky Derby winner will come to one between races. In turn, this bit of training checked needed boxes with trainer Bob Baffert, who was back in town to observe ahead of this weekend’s 2018 Preakness Stakes.

“I just loved the way he went around there,” Baffert said. “He looks no different than before the Kentucky Derby.”

A son of Scat Daddy, Justify has Baffert looking to improve his record to a perfect 5-for-5 with Derby winners moving on to the Triple Crown series’ second leg, with American Pharoah the last to do it in 2015.

Justify will leave for Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course on Wednesday.

“You can tell he’s enjoying it out there,” Baffert said of Monday’s gallop. “You can tell he wanted to go faster than he wanted — the rider. To me, that tells me he’s still on go.”

Justify earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103 in the Derby, actually four points off his effort that preceded in the Santa Anita Derby. Baffert has viewed that not as a sign that the horse slowed down, but that he won with something in reserve.

At 1 3/16 miles, the Preakness represents a slight cutback in distance from the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby, something Baffert welcomes. The trainer has also leaned on his quarter horse-training roots in dealing with just two weeks between Triple Crown races.

“We had to run them one week, then come back to run for all the money the next week,” Baffert said. “You’d bring them up to the race. You want them to run well, but not too well, and then you’d come back.

“We know the turnaround, because we’ve dealt with the turnaround all our lives. A lot of these trainers, they want to give their horse extra time. That’s why I have a really great foundation in my horses.” 

Since the day after the Derby, Baffert left Justify in the care of his top assistant trainer, Jimmy Barnes, with Humberto Gomez his exercise rider and Eduardo Luna the groom.

“I’ve got a great team here,” Baffert said. “We’ll all stay focused and make sure he’s happy. It’s like any coach — keep your quarterback, keep them all happy — don’t overdo it and he’ll show up.”

Baffert has yet to decide whether Justify will train Wednesday before his flight. The colt will be on track Thursday at Pimlico.