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Baffert On Preakness 145: ‘Robby Albarado Rode Just A Great Race’

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert praised Preakness (G1) 145 winner Swiss Skydiver and her jockey Robby Albarado during a visit to the Preakness Stakes Barn at Pimlico in Baltimore, Md., on Sunday morning and said he was still stunned with the outcome of the race.

While Baffert's Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic finished a neck behind Swiss Skydiver in the second-fastest Preakness in history, he did not get the pace-setting, catch-me-if-you-can trip under John Velazquez that he had at Churchill Downs four weeks earlier. Instead, Authentic stalked Baffert's other starter, Thousand Words, early on. It was the reverse of what Baffert expected.

“I thought he would be on the lead,” Baffert said. “This horse is a free-running horse. He wants to be out there and going. The other horse was there but they weren't really going that fast.”

The first quarter was run in 24.48 seconds, which turned out to be the slowest of the race that was completed in 1:53.28.

Swiss Skydiver made what proved to be the decisive move going into the far turn when Albarado guided her around the tiring Thousand Words and to the inside of Authentic. She won the dynamic battle through the stretch.

“I have to give credit. Robby Albarado rode just a great race. The mare ran a great race,” Baffert said. “They went 1:53. It's not like he didn't show up.”

A month earlier at the top of the stretch in the Derby, heavily favored Tiz the Law looked poised to overtake Authentic, but he could not complete the task. Baffert was on the other end of that scenario in the Preakness.

“After all of that, I'm still surprised he just could not get by her,” Baffert said. “She just was game. It was one of those things where I said, 'All right, come on, get by her.' They were running, they were leaving the field. It was, 'Wow, did that really just happen?' But he showed up and he ran. The other horse (Thousand Words) he was sort of spinning. He just wasn't running at all.”

Baffert said both of his colts came out the race in good shape and will be shipped back to California on Monday. He said Authentic will be prepared for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Baffert has two other likely Classic runners, the 4-year-olds Improbable and Maximum Security.

Baffert was bidding for a record eighth Preakness victory. He had completed the double with his five previous Derby winners, but the 2020 Triple Crown schedule was changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting four weeks, not two, between the races. Still, Baffert said he was very confident.

“It's the kind of race where I ran second but it was like, 'What happened?'” he said. “I felt really good about him coming into this race, the way he had been working, the way he had been acting. He was fresh. I told Johnny, 'He's really sharp.'”

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McPeek Says Classic Distance a Better Fit for Swiss Skydiver

While putting off a final decision regarding which Breeders’ Cup race GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) will run in, trainer Ken McPeek said Sunday morning that he prefers running his filly at a mile-and-a-quarter, the distance of the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. His other option is the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which is run at a mile-and-an-eighth.

“It’s a little early and we don’t have to make a decision right now but I do like her at the mile-and-a-quarter,” he said. “The further, the better. She gets to settle in a nice rhythm and that distance, I really like it better.”

McPeek said he would consider other factors, including the likely competition in each of the two Breeders’ Cup races.

“I don’t have to decide now,” he said. “We’ll look at the sheets and the past performances on the probables as we get closer. We will figure it out. Like I said, I like her at a mile-and-a-quarter better. I still would like to look at who is expected, how she holds up on paper and then we will decide how she is doing and where we needs to land.”

McPeek said his filly came out of the Preakness win in perfect shape.

“Last night she finished her feed early,” he said. “That’s not something you can train. They have to have that constitution and she’s got it.”

At age 5, Zenyatta won the Classic in 2009. She is the only filly or mare to have won the race.

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Tiz The Law Breezes Quick Five Furlongs In :57.87 On Friday At Belmont Park

Sackatoga Stable's New York-bred hero Tiz the Law breezed a bullet five-furlongs in 57.87 seconds on Friday morning at Belmont Park.

Piloted by exercise rider Heather Smullen over the fast main track, the four-time Grade 1-winning son of Constitution worked under overcast skies and light rain in preparation for his next engagement, which is scheduled to take place in the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland.

“I didn't want to see him go that fast, but he came out of the work well,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He scoped well and everything is going good with him.”

Tiz the Law has put together a notable sophomore campaign which includes victories in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, where he became the first Empire State-bred to win the American Classic in 138 years, and the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Tiz the Law was a last-out second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs, which Tagg and Sackatoga won in 2003 with New York-bred Funny Cide.

Tagg said Tiz the Law would likely work back either next Friday or Saturday.

During his juvenile campaign, Tiz the Law was a first-out winner against his New York-bred counterpart exactly one calendar year prior to his Runhappy Travers triumph en route to a score in the Grade 1 Champagne last October at Belmont Park. A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale, Tiz the Law has amassed $2,615,300 in purse earnings.

Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the Tiznow broodmare Tizfiz.

Tagg is poised for a potentially exciting weekend as he will saddle contenders in a pair of graded stakes on Saturday at Belmont.

Hayward Pressman, Diamond M Stable and Donna Pressman's Step Dancer will try open company in the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim at 1 1/16-miles on the turf for juveniles.

Step Dancer posted a 3 ½-length upset win on debut in a 1 1/16-mile maiden event for state-breds over a Mellon turf course at Saratoga rated good. The 2-year-old son of War Dancer came from 11 lengths off the pace to secure the win at 24-1 odds.

“He's a New York-bred and I've had some New York-breds do pretty well against open company,” Tagg quipped. “He won his first start rather easily, so we put him in the Pilgrim.”

Bred in New York by Sugar Plum Farm and Richard Pressman, Step Dancer is out of the English Channel mare Just Be Steppin. Jockey Dylan Davis was up for the debut win and will return aboard Step Dancer from post 7 in the eight-horse field.

Joyce B. Young, Gerald McManis and Jerrie Stewart McManis' Highland Sky will attempt an elusive Grade 1 victory in Saturday's 12-furlong $250,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, a race where he finished fourth in 2018.

The 7-year-old dark bay son of Sky Mesa came close to striking Grade 1 gold during his sophomore campaign, where he was second beaten a neck in the 2016 Belmont Derby Invitational.

An 8 ¼-length winner of last year's John's Call at Saratoga, which was taken off the turf, Highland Sky arrives at the Joe Hirsch off a runner-up placing in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on August 1 at Saratoga.

“He's an old timer now but I've always wanted to win the Joe Hirsch,” Tagg said. “He'll be in pretty tough. He likes soft turf and he likes the mud if they take it off the grass.”

Highland Sky boasts a solid pedigree that Tagg is quite familiar with. He trained the graded stakes-placed dam Kristi With a K, who also produced graded stakes placed Tagg trainee Highland Glory – a full sister to Highland Sky – as well as Grade 1 winners Miss Josh and Bit of Whimsy, and graded stakes winners Highland Springs and Highland Crystal.

“That family has been very good to us over the years,” Tagg said.

Highland Sky boasts lifetime earnings of $781,044 in a 29-5-4-5 career. He will be ridden by Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard the horse for his last two efforts.

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Tiz the Law Fires Bullet at Big Sandy

Sackatoga Stable’s top sophomore Tiz the Law (Constitution) breezed a speedy, best-of-six five furlongs in :57.87 at Belmont Park Friday morning under regular breeze rider Heather Smullen. “I didn’t want to see him go that fast, but he came out of the work well,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He scoped well and everything is going good with him.” Upset when second in the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5, the four-time Grade I winner is skipping Saturday’s GI Preakness S. and training up to the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7.

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