Bob Baffert is resolute in his pursuit of a seventh Kentucky Derby victory this year. Nonetheless, each year presents its own set of challenges for the trainer. As he returns from a suspension that kept him away from racing his horses at Churchill Downs, this season is bound to be particularly difficult for him. The races leading up to the Kentucky Derby have presented perplexing outcomes for the 72-year-old horse trainer, and there remains much more to unfold before the inaugural leg of the American Triple Crown. What comes next on his agenda? The event in question is the Arkansas Derby.
The Grade 1 race presents a significant challenge for Cornucopian, who has only competed in one race thus far, managing to secure his first victory. Nonetheless, the three-year-old colt has engaged in workouts, and Baffert possesses a distinct vision for him. The trainer is fully informed about the ongoing conversations regarding the colt’s status as the frontrunner in the Arkansas Derby. Nonetheless, Baffert presents a contrasting perspective on this discussion.
According to Oaklawn.com, the 72-year-old trainer expressed his views, saying, “Him being the favorite? I don’t know about that. I don’t think he should be the favorite because he has just one out. Coal Battle should be the favorite. I think he might end up the favorite. He’s a good horse and that Sandman’s a good horse. Grade 1s are always tough, but they’re supposed to be tough.”
For an extended period, Coal Battle proudly claimed the title of being the inaugural contender on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Baffert is indeed cognizant of this situation. He also acknowledged the talent of the Lonnie Briley-trained horse and its potential in the races. Nonetheless, Coal Battle was not the sole contender capturing Baffert’s attention. He expressed appreciation toward Sandman, who has received training from Mark Casse.
Baffert recognized that Cornucopian may not be the frontrunner in the competition, yet he expresses enthusiasm for the presence of such contenders in the Grade 1 challenge and is prepared for the unfolding drama. And do you know that opinions about Cornucopian are divided in the community?
Mixed opinions on Bob Baffert’s Cornucopian
There is certainly a wealth of potential within Cornucopian. What’s the reason behind that? The three-year-old clinched his first race victory during his debut at Oaklawn Park. With Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle, the colt took an early lead, clocking impressive splits of 21.86 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.50 seconds for the half-mile mark. The six furlongs were clocked at 1:09.02, highlighting his impressive speed and promising potential. The remarkable performance has established the horse trained by Bob Baffert as the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the forthcoming Arkansas Derby.
However, the community holds two distinct perspectives on the colt. Recently, Matthew DeSantis highlighted the situation, noting, “The CA invader, Cornucopian, for Bob Baffert strutting his stuff at @OaklawnRacing ahead of the Arkansas Derby. Can he win it? The comments to Matt’s post says it all. One says Sandman tracks him down and another claims the horse will win the Triple Crown.”
The horse racing analyst addressed track announcer Matt Dinerman’s observation, who stated, “CORNUCOPIAN dappled out in the infield paddock schooling for Saturday’s Arkansas Derby. He’s the 7-5 morning line favorite off a dominant maiden win sprinting on Rebel Day for So Cal based Bob Baffert.” A horse trained by Baffert in the race is bound to attract significant attention. And Cornucopian has just demonstrated that!
Numerous individuals assert that he is the horse poised to not only clinch future Kentucky Derby victories but also to potentially bring home the Triple Crown for the trainer. For some, he remains merely a nondescript competitor in the upcoming season. A significant period has passed since a horse trained by Baffert clinched the Triple Crown, yet the future remains uncertain for Cornucopian.
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