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People and Pop Culture

The Sit-Down: Bob Baffert

The man who guided American Pharoah to the Triple Crown talks about being his own boss, his love for the Kentucky Derby, and the hotel bar advice that has served him well.

Photo by: GETTY IMAGES

After American Pharoah — the whole saga — after he left, it was pretty quiet. It was pretty tough when he left. We enjoyed him so much. Not only was he so great, and we won the Triple Crown and all that, but he was so sweet.

Most horses, they’re aggressive. They are not that nice. They’re athletes, you know. They’re tough. But he would put his head in your lap. You’d give him carrots. He’d want you to rub him.

I’ve never worked for anybody. I’ve had offers. Like somebody said, “I want you to be our private trainer. We are going to give you … ” It would have to be astronomical. … But when you work for private for somebody, it’s a tough deal.

I felt like I am a pretty good judge of people. I mean, I’ve had clients come up, they wanted me — and this was the early years — they wanted me to train. And I met ’em and I trained, but down deep I said, “You know what? We’re not really a good fit.”

And in the end, it never worked out, because I sort of want to be left alone a little bit.

I like to — I have this little madness about me — that I want to be, just give me the horse and I’ll get him. … You just, you can be involved, but just show up for the big days.

When we lose, I am surprised. So you expect … you expect to win. When you don’t win, you’re like [to the jockey], “Dude? What happened?” But most of them, they know. They’ll come back and say, “Man …”

I don’t mind if a jockey comes back and says, “You know what, Bob, that was a bonehead move.” I can understand it. But if they made a bonehead move and they say, “I think I ran a perfect race,” then I go, “Dude, you don’t fit this horse.”

The toughest beat I ever had I think was Cavonnier, in the 1996 Kentucky Derby. It was my first Derby and I was just hoping to light the board. If I could’ve run first, second or third I would have been so happy.

They’re turning for home and … we were on the lead. And I couldn’t believe we were on the lead in the Kentucky Derby. And then this horse came from the outside, the way, way outside. And they hit the wire together and I thought we’d won. I wasn’t sure. And we got beat by an inch. It was The. Worst. Beat. Ever.

And I remember people asking me, “What do you think?” I said, “Well, I will never be back again because it’s so difficult, but I know what it feels like to win the Kentucky Derby, because I thought I’d won the Derby for about five minutes.”

There was Point Given [who won the 2001 Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes but was fifth in the Kentucky Derby]. That horse got away. He should have won the Triple Crown. We lost focus. Everybody did. We just thought we’d go in there and it was going to be a cakewalk. We were just way too overconfident.

When Pharoah came along, it was almost like a Peyton Manning moment. Like, people never get another chance at the Super Bowl.

I was always saying, “If I get one more shot. …” I was saying, “God, give me one more shot at it. Just give me one more shot. I think I’ve got it down.” Then this horse came along. I knew exactly what I needed to do, how to stay focused, keep everybody focused.

I have a library of knowledge in my brain. And I don’t write anything down. It’s just there, in my gut, feeling from experience.

You have to trust your instincts. When I feel good about my instincts, it works out. When I go with something against it, that I don’t like, it never works out. I get mad at myself, I say “WHY did I do that?”

Even in Kentucky, when I go, they have these big parties for the VIPs — I don’t get invited to those things. It’s the damnedest thing. Nobody believes me. If I go, I have to pay.

The Kentucky Derby really keeps me cranked up. If they didn’t have the Kentucky Derby, I’d probably lose interest. But I have other clients I want to win the Kentucky Derby for. I would like to get everybody a shot to get there. I’d like to give everyone a shot to get there and win.  

I remember about 10 years ago, I was going through a time, I wasn’t winning like I [had been].

There was a guy who writes for the AP, and I remember I was in the hotel, we were in the bar area there, and I say, “You know, I work so hard, it just kills me.” And he says, “You know what, Bob, you can’t worry about that anymore. You’ve made it to the top. You know they build you up and they tear you down.” He said, “Your only defense now is keep winning.”

It’s so true. Just keep winning. Because if you don’t win, they are not going to feel sorry for you.

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