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And so whenever the things considered, was a discussion turns to tribute to his inherent possibilities and roses and talent. When he returned Horse Horse gothic jewelry, whenever in the CashCall Futurity, MAXIMUM HORSEPOWER AMERICAN PRIDE the conversation is despite a training routine BAYERN MIDNIGHT HAWK balanced on a tripod, even designed to discourage BEACH HUT MONKEY BUSINESS CAN THE MAN OH BILLY BILLY if it's early in the year and his headlong inclinations, CHITU PARTY TIME some of the eventual he became a reality show, DA BEARS PIMPERNEL players haven't announced an eleven-hundred pound HALL OF FAME POWER CRAZED themselves, Baffert figures reminder that no amount HIGHLAND BULL ROGER ROCKET HOLD EVERYTHING ROUNDUPTHELUTE prominently. This is Baffert of talent can overcome HOPPERTUNITY TAP IT RICH time. This is a time for dumb. The Equibase ICY RIDE THE ADMIRAL optimism and hopefulness. chart was, of course, INDIAN SMOKE TRUE TEN It's a time for Baffert, as the succinct in its distillation INDIANAPOLIS UNOBTANIUM KING PTOLEMY VEGAS STRIP foremost purveyor of Derby of events, pointing out MAGIC CASH WYNHURST dreams, to begin looking that Tap It Rich "broke down the road to Kentucky slowly and awkwardly," See our “Big List” for comments on each. and maybe even to horse and then became "rank," NEW YEAR’S DAY retired Dec. 26. racing's Arcadia. Yes, this is and then "swerved five Baffert time (Pletcher time, too) and, of course, wide." Nothing more needed to be said. the white-haired sage from Nogales, Ariz., Eliminated from any chance, he was taken in again has many potential Derby horses in his hand. barn – even in the wake of the premature retirement of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Depending on how you look at things, Tap It New Year’s Day on Dec. 26. Rich is either a lunatic or a wild card. He has the talent to be almost anything, even a Kentucky Derby winner, if he wants to be a "I think I have a strong group," Baffert said. racehorse, and that "if," by the way, is large "They're still finding their way right now, but they're going to be good. I hope we get there with all of them. Right now, we're dreaming in Technicolor; in four months, we'll start dreaming in black and white."
Baffert’s Band 2014
The major loss of the BC Juvenile winner notwithstanding, Baffert still has many prospects in his barn, intriguing possibilities such as Roundupthelute, Indianapolis, The Admiral, Midnight Hawk, Chitu and Icy Ride. Bayern, an unraced son of Offlee Wild, has turned heads during his morning preparations, and he soon could join the Baffert Bunch. And then, of course, there's Tap It Rich. He looked like a potential superstar when, after a tardy break, he rallied from far back on a speed biased surface to win his debut at Santa Anita. But then, well, he had a Dennis Rodman moment in the Breeders' Cup, where he was rank and recalcitrant early, refusing to be rated; still, he finished fifth, only about three lengths behind his stablemate, which, all