'Don’t complain': Baffert optimistic ahead of Breeders' Cup

2020 has been a hectic year for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Sure, he won the Kentucky Derby with Authentic, beating out the heavily favored Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes.

But he also has been plagued with a series of substance violations, and despite calling for changes to the testing procedures, he has admitted he needs to do a better job of being more cautious with medication administration.

In a teleconference with media on Wednesday, Baffert said that despite all that's happened this year — including a pandemic — his philosophy is "don't complain."

“It was looking so gloomy when everything shut down,” Baffert said of the height of the coronavirus pandemic. “I really didn’t think — California, they shut us down, and I shut a lot of my horses down and, the Kentucky Derby, I really didn’t think we were going to be able to run it.

The Derby did go off, allowing Baffert to win for the eighth time, tying the all-time record. Authentic then came in second in the Preakness and now will try the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race Baffert said he is relieved will still be able to go off.

“I feel really fortunate that we got to reopen,” Baffert said. “And this is happening. And don’t complain, just enjoy that we’re running, and that’s one thing I learned from it.”

Baffert will send six horses to the Breeders’ Cup, with three pre-entered in the Classic: Authentic, Maximum Security and Improbable.

Coming off the second place finish in the Preakness, which he described as “disappointing,” Baffert said Authentic’s biggest problem is his tendency to “shut himself down” and get behind in a race.

“He’s going to have to improve,” Baffert said. “And I think he will, but he needs to be ridden aggressively away from the gate.”

Improbable is coming off three consecutive Grade 1 victories, most recently in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita, and Maximum Security finished second to Improbable in the Awesome Again last time out.

“Maximum Security, last time we were chasing some speed that we knew was some really solid, world-class speed,” Baffert said. “I think post position and the break, that will tell the story. These riders are going to be on their own, they know the horses well.”

John Velazquez will be aboard Authentic for the Classic, while Luis Saez will ride Maximum Security. Improbable, who is likely to go off favored, will be piloted by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Baffert’s other Breeder’s Cup pre-entries are Gamine, who will run in the Filly & Mare Sprint underneath Velazquez; Princess Noor, who will take on the Juvenile Fillies with Victor Espinoza onboard; and Classier, a surprise entry to the Juvenile, who will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

The Breeders’ Cup is scheduled for Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland.