The week of the Kentucky Derby unfolds like an adolescent photo dump on Instagram or TikTok. It is a patchwork of moods and pictures that should come together to create a grand finale that will be treasured for years to come. We could be onto something if we substitute a prom date for a winning superfecta ticket. There are no longer as many people swarming the Churchill Downs stable area each morning. There are fewer early comers. The stragglers are, too. Between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. EDT, when the Derby and Oaks horses are out on the track, there is still a three-deep crush along the outer rail of the backstretch, and the local TV talking heads take glad hands until eight or 9, but that is about it now.
Earthling visitors really outnumber us in the media throughout that shortened training period. The conversation between the hoi polloi and the fourth estate is essentially the same, despite the fact that the badges we wear around our necks like spelling-bee competitors may differ. What is the appearance of the horse? “What do you hear?” “Where is the Battle for Coal?” “Good,” “not much,” and “was out before sunrise to beat the crowd” are the typical responses. These days, the majority of rumors occur on Thursdays. Even though rumors claim that only a few barns have veterinarians, that is when they are present at every barn. Sometimes the rumors are accurate, as was the case two years ago when Forte erred, and the artist who was once known as horse-racing Twitter was on the nose with word that he would be scratched.
There was a lot of rumors this year about one horse or another that was likely to receive the red flag for safety. Some stable residents and plugged-in connections gave me a buzz. Rodríguez, whose exit for a bruised foot came to light just around the time that many racing figures may have been reaching for that first bourbon at a downtown boîte Thursday afternoon, was not listed among the horses whose names I heard. The most notable thing that has come out of the stable area over the past two weeks, as someone who is reluctant to follow rumors, is how completely quiet everything has been around journalism. In the two decades that this race has been covered, it is hard to recall a period when everyone connected with the Kentucky Derby favorite seemed so relaxed.
“How about American Pharoah?” inquired a coworker this week. “Baffert was as laid-back as they come.” “The Zayats weren’t,” I remarked, recalling how the future Triple Crown champion’s owners were naturally apprehensive about their beloved colt. Like the mayor, journalism trainer Michael McCarthy greets recognizable media people as he walks around his barn. He even said, “Is there anything you need from me?” as he addressed Los Angeles Times reporter John Cherwa. Really? For Cherwa? Go above and beyond, if you will. McCarthy is always friendly, but in my experience, he is more at ease conducting interviews over the phone, usually when he is not worried by horses that might suddenly do things that horses do. Obtain finicky. Get ornery. Get a fever. Whatever. Animals have been known to be distractions in the flesh.
McCarthy and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ principal owner, Aron Wellman, might as well have been strolling down the street this week, chewing on a patch of grass. That reference is not understood by any teen on TikTok. The quintessential Southern California influencers who appear to have woken up on the right side of the beach and enjoying a peaceful good time are Wellman, McCarthy, and jockey Umberto Rispoli. When that impression was presented to Wellman this week, he responded, “Yeah.” He hesitated for a few seconds before acknowledging it. “I call it good pressure,” he stated. “Michael, myself, and our ownership group have been here for a while.
I would like to think that Michael and I have been preparing for this moment our entire lives and careers, even if it is somewhat new ground in terms of being the Derby favorite and all the attention and excitement that comes with it. Whether they are cherished household pets, dangerous predators on a trip, or a 3-1 morning-line favorite strolling around a barn, one thing we have all learned about animals is that they are more sensitive to human emotions than humans are. They will return the favor in some way if they sense our uneasiness. Journalism should feel quite fortunate to have all the peace and quiet around him. “As long as the horse continues to thrive the way he is,” Wellman said, “we’re going to continue to do our jobs and enjoy this moment.”
Then Wellman stopped. He seemed to be inserting periods between sentences in a single sentence, which is odd given that we are in the twenty-first century. “Because.” You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Aron, may I have my medium rare when the grill beyond barn 35 starts? Is a vegetarian burger, with or without carrots, appropriate for journalism? The Baffert gap is the terminus of a stable lane that passes through the McCarthy barn at Churchill. This year, Bob Baffert, a six-time Derby winner, is back in barn 33, only a row away from his fellow Californians. All of the signs honoring figures like Justify and American Pharaoh have been put back up. Where all those decorations were stored when Baffert was there is unknown was on double-secret probation the past three Derby years. They are back, and so is he.
After answering the necessary questions about his return, Baffert went about his business with the old faithful lieutenants, including the ever-telegenic exercise rider Humberto Gómez and the archetypal horseman Jimmy Barnes, at Churchill Downs last Thursday. Baffert is always doing an interview when I pass his stable. He might as well be hosting their own version of “Live with Kelly and Whoever Her Co-Host Is This Year” at this point, along with his wife Jill. Baffert was more than prepared to respond, “I’m the clickbait of racing,” when asked last week if he still felt like the face of racing.
Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen are walking in the same direction as Baffert and McCarthy. This week, the walk down the coast was transformed into a deliberate walk up a Manhattan thoroughfare by billionaire owner and self-declared race commissioner Mike Repole. Given that Grande is only a longshot who has been run three times, it has actually been a little less hectic for him. At a walk-and-talk, he remarked, “We had Forte and Fierceness the last few years.” As two-year-old champs, they clearly had a lot more hype going into the match. They may have made seven or eight starts by the time they arrive at this race. Being lightly raced is definitely advantageous in a race like this, in my opinion.
Only Rodríguez is out as of this predawn writing, which is around 36 hours before the Derby. Post 1 be damned, Baffert still has Citizen Bull. Grande belongs to Repole and Pletcher. The maiden publisher and Tiztastic are both attempting to help Asmussen get off his Derby schneid. And at his cabana beside the beach, team Journalism is waiting. Meanwhile, Luxor Café and Admire Daytona are in their windowless quarantine barn, around a quarter of a mile from this hub of activity. There’s a serious problem with that image. In any case, when Luxor Café wins the Derby on Saturday, perhaps there will be a flurry of activity nearby.
