Preakness 2021: Baffert upbeat on Concert Tour, Medina Spirit morning works
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bob Baffert opened his press conference Sunday at Churchill Downs with perhaps a touch of gallows humor prior to divulging the bombshell news that Medina Spirit has tested positive for a regulated anti-inflammatory out of the Kentucky Derby.
“First let’s talk about the Preakness horses,” Baffert said.
Indeed, Baffert had occupied himself with training horses for several hours Sunday morning at Churchill prior to his stunning revelation. Foremost among the Baffert horses out for exercise on a chilly overcast morning were his two prospects for the 146th Preakness at Pimlico on Saturday, Medina Spirit and Concert Tour. Whereas Medina Spirit went through a “stiff, open gallop” off his May 1 Derby victory, Concert Tour breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.
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Concert Tour “went really well,” Baffert said. “He went out three-quarters, galloped out strong. He’s been training really well here. I’m happy with the way he went.”
Baffert was also happy with Medina Spirit's work. "He came out of the race really, really well. So they’re both going to the Preakness.”
Both horses are scheduled to depart Churchill on Monday afternoon, with arrival at Pimlico in Baltimore scheduled for around 3-4 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Baffert said. All Churchill horses headed to Maryland for racing on Preakness weekend are being vanned, as opposed to some of them being flown, because of a work stoppage by the widely used equine-charter air carrier, Tex Sutton. Other Preakness runners being vanned from Churchill are Midnight Bourbon, Keepmeinmind, and Ram.
France Go de Ina was the first Preakness runner to arrive at Pimlico, doing so late Saturday night. The Japan-based runner was flown earlier in the day from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., from where he was vanned south.
Meanwhile, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday at Churchill that the news about the Medina Spirit positive will have no effect on him reconsidering running either Mandaloun nor Essential Quality in the Preakness; they were the respective second- and fourth-place finishers behind Medina Spirit in the Derby. Cox cited the two-week turnaround as still the primary reason neither will go.
As of Sunday, this is the field of 10 expected when entries for the $1 million Preakness are drawn at 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday at the track: Concert Tour (Mike Smith), Crowded Trade (Javier Castellano), France Go De Ina (Joel Rosario), Keepmeinmind (David Cohen), Medina Spirit (John Velazquez), Midnight Bourbon (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Ram (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Risk Taking (Jose Ortiz), Rombauer (Flavien Prat), and Unbridled Honor (Luis Saez).