The mistake that Bob Baffert does not make
Many people may take exception to the training methods Bob Baffert employs to prepare his horses for the rigors of the Triple Crown.
But Baffert is clear that the goal of his stable is to win Triple Crown races. If a colt has the talent, competitive spirit and a strong physical constitution that thrives on work, he will perform well in Baffert’s program.
Baffert, to his credit, does not make the mistake of bringing a short horse into a Derby prep race. His training methods ensure that his horse is 100% physically prepared to meet the specific demands of each race. And Baffert knows the physical demands of racing on dirt require supreme fitness.
He seems to understand something, implicitly or explicitly, that no other trainer seems to grasp. A three year old is a physically immature, rapidly developing horse. Vigorous training accelerates that development. And here is the key: 100% fitness in mid Winter is not 100% fitness in early Spring. In other words, you can have a horse 100% fit early in their three year old campaign but because of rapid growth and development that same level of fitness will not be adequate as his physical development proceeds. So, to not have a young three year old 100% ready for each race on the Derby prep schedule is akin to malpractice because they cannot peak too soon.
Most every other trainer seems to prepare their horses for the Derby as though they were already physically mature horses who should not be trained hard lest they peak too early. But that notion does not apply to a rapidly developing horse whose peak condition maximum naturally goes higher as he matures.
The two latest victims of these misguided training methods that I’ve noticed are Fierceness, trained by T. Pletcher and Honor Marie, trained by W. Beckman.
Fierceness encountered trouble at the break of the Holy Bull but overcame adversity by demonstrating competitive spirit, getting into the race and making the lead. But what he could not overcome was inadequate preparation for a tiring racing surface. Fierceness was brought into that race off seven works, none over 5 furlongs and not one work from the gate after a three month layoff.
Honor Marie had six works preparing for the most difficult test of his career in the Risen Star, none over 5 furlongs and not one work from the gate for a 9 furlong race after a nearly three month layoff.
Can anyone imagine Baffert preparing a horse like this?
For those that disagree with Baffert’s methods and feel it is unnecessary to train a young three year old that hard I would suggest reading what Steve Haskin has mentioned in his Derby Dozen columns for years. Old school trainers would start their Derby horses in sprint races to sharpen their speed.
If a trainer is uncomfortable with undertaking a training regimen necessary to have a horse 100% fit for a two turn, graded stakes Derby prep race in the first start of their three year old campaign, please consider the sage wisdom cited by Steve Haskin.
