Blue:
This is no typical Baffert. Medina Spirit sold at auction as a yearling for $1,000
and resold as a 2YO for $35,000 (TG page does not reflect "pinhook"??).
Back to the archives. Going back to 1997 and going through 2019, Baffert has
saddled 45 Derby starters. He has had five Derby winners. As best as I can
reconstruct Silver Charm (5
2 - 2
3), War Emblem (1- minus
0
2) and American Pharaoh (minus 1- minus 3
2) all moved
forward off their final prep to win. For Real Quiet and Justify a pair was
sufficient.
One of the biggest forward moves by any Baffert trainee in the Derby has been
by Pioneer ofthe Nile, second to Mine That Bird (3
2 -
0
3).
Including the above mentioned runners, as best as I can reconstruct, from 45
Baffert Derby starters between 1997-2019, six have moved forward in the Derby
from their final prep, seven have paired their final prep, the others have
offed or xed.
So my conclusion/opinion would be that in order for Medina Spirit to be
competitive, he would have to move forward in the Derby as much as any Baffert
runner has ever moved forward??
