Bob Baffert recovering from heart attack in Dubai

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Bob Baffert was reported to be hospitalized in Dubai on Monday.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had a heart attack early Monday morning in Dubai and was resting comfortably in a hospital there Monday evening after having stents inserted into two arteries, according to Bernie Schiappa, a co-owner of Game On Dude, who is scheduled to run on Saturday in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.

Baffert was feeling ill late Sunday night and into Monday morning, Schiappa said in a telephone call from Dubai.

"Bob had a heart attack," Schiappa said. "He had two blocked arteries. The main one was 100-percent blocked, the other 90-percent. He had two stents put in one artery, one stent in the other.

"Sheikh Mohammed," Schiappa said, referring to the ruler of Dubai, "has gone out of his way and got the best help to take care of Bob. He will stay in intensive care until Tuesday, and is expected to get out of the hospital on Thursday. He will have to stay eight to 10 days to recover before he can fly home."

Baffert later sent Schiappa a video, which was forwarded to Daily Racing Form, that showed Sheikh Mohammed, adviser John Ferguson, and several others visiting Baffert in his hospital room. The video was shot on Baffert's phone and is narrated by Baffert.

"This is when you know you're being well taken care of," Baffert says on the video.

Schiappa said Baffert was at the barn on Sunday, overseeing the training of both Game On Dude and The Factor, the sprinter who is scheduled to run on Saturday in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen going six furlongs. Baffert and his wife, Jill, were scheduled to join Schiappa and his wife for dinner Sunday night, but Baffert begged off and went to sleep early, according to Schiappa. Several hours later, Jill Baffert called the Schiappas and said her husband was not feeling well.

"We called 911 and the paramedics came right away," Schiappa said.

The Bafferts and Schiappas are staying in the same hotel.

Baffert, 59, is a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He has five children, four from a previous marriage, and a son, Bode, with Jill.

Cell phone video taken by trainer Bob Baffert from his hospital bed. Baffert's voice can be heard narrating.