Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Momentum is on Baffert's side in Cup

ARCADIA, Calif -- . It was a Bob Baffert-like response to what has become a Baffert-like occurrence.

As the trainer stood on the Santa Anita Park apron Monday morning, he was asked about the four consecutive winners he had saddled at the track less than 24 hours earlier.

"It's that Hall of Fame thing," he quipped, referring to his induction earlier this year. "Ever since the Hall of Fame, my horses have been running better."

For all his self-deprecating humor, there is no downplaying the surge of momentum rolling through Baffert's barn as he looks for another milestone this weekend.

It remains to be seen whether his horses are peaking at the right time, but Baffert could not be on more of an upswing as he prepares to saddle four contenders in this weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships.

He has already earned nine Grade I wins and an induction into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame this year, and Baffert heads into the Breeders' Cup with two likely favorites in Zensational (Sprint) and Lookin At Lucky (Juvenile) along with Classic contender Richard's Kid and Juvenile Fillies entrant Always a Princess.

Should Zensational capture the Sprint, it would make Baffert -- who won the race the last two years with champion Midnight Lute -- only the second trainer to win the same Breeders' Cup race three years in a row. D. Wayne Lukas accomplished the feat twice by taking the Distaff from 1985-87 and the Juvenile from 1986-88.

"We have to get there first," Baffert said when asked about the possible achievement. "But we have been really lucky, and ... you get in a roll where everything has been falling into place. We've picked the right spots and managed them well."

Baffert came into the Breeders' Cup on a similar high last year and won the Juvenile with Midshipman in addition to Midnight Lute's second Sprint triumph.

Baffert said he was feeling good about all his prospects after putting them through their final works the last two days.