Kentucky Derby illustrates Baffert's up-and-down year

Bob Baffert has gone through what he calls “a roller coaster of a year.” Nothing illustrated that more than the sequence of events surrounding Authentic’s 2020 Kentucky Derby triumph.

“That was the craziest 30 minutes of my racing life,” the Hall of Fame trainer said Sunday.

Baffert was set to saddle two live contenders for the 146th Derby in Authentic and Thousand Words. The latter of the two flipped in the paddock, necessitating a late scratch.

Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s assistant trainer, was injured in the paddock incident. He left Churchill Downs in an ambulance after suffering a wrist injury that will require surgery.

With one of his horses scratched and his most trusted assistant on the way to the hospital, Baffert was having a bad afternoon.

“I didn’t have Jimmy with me, so it was emotional,” Baffert said. “I just told (Authentic jockey) Johnny (Velazquez), ‘Win it for Jimmy.’”

Baffert’s day quickly improved.

Authentic scored a front-running Kentucky Derby victory, holding off heavy favorite Tiz the Law in the stretch. The win gave Baffert his sixth Derby triumph, tying the late Ben Jones for most all-time among trainers.

But then, 2020 being 2020, Baffert had one more unexpected moment in store.

In the winner’s circle, Churchill officials draped the traditional garland of roses over Authentic. Long ribbons wrapped around the Into Mischief colt’s hind legs, spooking him.

Authentic, who Baffert describes as “very skittish,” spun around. The trainer could not get out of his Derby winner’s way in time and fell down.

“The winner’s circle was pretty crazy,” said Baffert, who was not injured. “I actually lost my footing. I was more embarrassed than anything else. I knew I was going to become a Twitter sensation after that deal, going down.

“But hey, I’ll go down every year if I can win this damn race."

Photo credit: John Voorhees/Eclipse Sportswire

The up-and-down nature of Saturday afternoon for Baffert was a perfect encapsulation of his year.

Baffert likely would have had four Kentucky Derby contenders had the race run in its traditional spot on the First Saturday in May. Authentic, Charlatan, Nadal and Thousand Words set up to give the trainer a quartet of top contenders.

“I was going to bring those four here,” Baffert said. “I was like, ‘I’ve never been so loaded in my life.’”

Then came COVID-19, which caused Churchill Downs to delay its signature event by four months to September.

Charlatan and Nadal both won divisions of the Arkansas Derby (G1), rescheduled to run on what was supposed to be Kentucky Derby day. A month later, both undefeated colts were out of training due to injuries – the now-retired Nadal for good, Charlatan for the summer.

While the injury bug hit the Baffert barn, the trainer also had to deal with off-track issues.

The Arkansas Racing Commission in July announced it had disqualified Charlatan and filly Gamine from wins on the Arkansas Derby card. The DQs were due to both runners testing positive for excessive levels of the numbing agent Lidocaine.

Baffert contended the Lidocaine test was due to harmless human error. His attorney put out a statement saying the substance was “innocently transferred” from a horseman’s back pain patch when applying Charlatan and Gamine’s tongue ties.

The Lidocaine incident followed a report last September that Triple Crown hero Justify tested positive for a banned substance, scopolamine, after winning the 2018 Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Last month, the California Horse Racing Board voted to proceed with a complaint seeking the DQ of Justify from that victory. However, the CHRB will not file a complaint against Baffert due what it called “substantial evidence” that the substance resulted from environmental contamination through jimson weed.

“The game is tough,” Baffert said. “It can make you bitter, and you can’t let it. I don’t let it get me bitter. A lot of things are said about me that are hateful and horrible. I just don’t let it bother me.

“Unfortunately, with those horses, what happened at Arkansas was just an honest mistake. Justify, what he went through was horrible. I’m still dealing with all that stuff.”

The roller coaster year has not yet stopped for horse racing’s most prominent figure. But as Baffert stood Sunday outside the paddock of Churchill Downs, underneath a newly placed marker reading “Authentic 2020,” he reflected on what this Kentucky Derby victory meant to him.

“If they didn’t have this race, I could easily walk away from this sport,” Baffert said. “But I just love it so much and it keeps me going. I can’t wait to get back here next year.”