• Jimmy Barnes, the chief assistant overseeing 'TDN Rising Star' Justify (Scat Daddy)'s training in Kentucky, said Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is expected to fly to Louisville Sunday evening. The GI Kentucky Derby winner is scheduled to fly to Baltimore Wednesday and is expected to land at about 1:30 p.m. Justify galloped 1 1/2 miles Saturday.
“Justify couldn't be looking any better,” Barnes said. “Going into Baltimore this next week, I couldn't be happier with how he looks.”
Barnes said that the minor foot bruise that surfaced the day after the Derby “looks like it's completely behind us. Those things take sometimes 48 hours to resolve themselves, so now we just march forward to Baltimore.”
• Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who like Baffert has won the GI Preakness S. six times, is scheduled to run Derby sixth-place finisher Bravazo (Awesome Again) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sporting Chance (Tiznow) in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
“I think [Justify] has a great chance [to win the Triple Crown]; I wish I had him,” Lukas said. “There's no horse out there right now that can stop him on this run. Ironically, we'll have two Triple Crown winners in a short period of time. I really think it could happen.
“But you can't concede anything. My job is to spoil the dream. That's what I get paid for. I'm a good friend of Bob Baffert's, but when the gate opens, he's on his own.”
• Tenfold (Curlin), fifth in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 14, has been confirmed for the Preakness. Ricardo Santana Jr., aboard for Tenfold's two victories, regains the mount. “It's a big step up, but it's a good opportunity to see where you fit with these horses,” Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said. “Everybody is looking for the 3-year-olds to start stepping up this time of the year. He deserves the chance.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
