LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The 151st Kentucky Derby is tomorrow at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The race concludes the return of a legendary but controversial trainer. Molly Rollins from racing industry publication the BloodHorse is here to tell us more. Good morning, Molly.
MOLLY ROLLINS: Good morning.
FADEL: Thanks for being here.
ROLLINS: Yeah. It's a pleasure to be here.
FADEL: OK. So let's start with that trainer, Bob Baffert. Who is this guy, and why is he coming back?
ROLLINS: So Bob Baffert is the best-known and arguably the most controversial figure in horse racing. His horse, Medina Spirit, was disqualified from the 2021 Kentucky Derby after testing positive for betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory that was found in a postrace drug test. Churchill Downs did ultimately suspend Bob Baffert from competing in the Kentucky Derby, or at any Churchill Downs on track, for three years. So he has served his time. But in the same breath, he's also the most decorated trainer of the modern era. He's won six Kentucky Derbys and two Triple Crowns.
FADEL: Wow. So what are people saying about his return, though?
ROLLINS: He's definitely facing a lot of scrutiny from the media, but I think overall, the vibe is people are excited to see him back at Churchill Downs, and he has a live horse in the race. And if he wins seven Kentucky Derbys, he'll accomplish a feat that no trainer has ever done in racing before. It'll be a truly remarkable feat.
FADEL: So Churchill Downs shut down for part of 2023 after several horses died. Are we seeing fewer catastrophic injuries and deaths in horse racing these days?
ROLLINS: Yes, we are. And Churchill Downs - 2023 was a dark time for the track, but since then, they have instituted a few different changes. They've spent a lot of work working on the surface. They've added 2,000 tons of dirt to the surface the past few years to create a better cushion and safer surface for the horses. There's also a lot greater veterinary scrutiny by Churchill and their state vet teams. Horses that are actually competing in the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, the filly equivalent, are now required to be on the grounds a week before the race so that their morning exercise can be under the observation of veterinarians. And these changes have so far proved effective. There were no breakdowns during the Derby week last year, and fingers crossed we have another safe Derby week this year.
FADEL: Is there a clear favorite to win?
ROLLINS: There is a clear favorite. The horse you mentioned earlier, Journalism...
FADEL: That's when journalism wins, Molly.
ROLLINS: Yeah. What a great name. He's two for two this year. He's won both his prep races out in California. It's really hard to knock him. I've seen him in person a few times this week. He's just a big, beautiful horse. This is really his race to lose.
FADEL: OK. So those are the odds. Who's your pick to win the Derby?
ROLLINS: So there's a few horses I like, and to me, the best parts of the Derby are just learning all the storylines of the different contenders and their connections. And there are definitely some interesting storylines in this year's Derby. One horse is Burnham Square. I rode a recent feature for him in BloodHorse. He is a gelding, so he's a horse that's not intact, and only nine geldings have ever won the Kentucky Derby, the last being in 2009. Another horse is Sandman, who is probably one of the most popular horses on the Derby Trail right now. He's named after the Metallica song "Enter Sandman." Metallica's actually sent Metallica gear to the horse's connections this week. And he's also owned by - in partnership by TikTok star Griffin Johnson.
FADEL: OK. Well, that's Molly Rollins of the BloodHorse. Thank you so much for that preview, Molly.
ROLLINS: My pleasure.
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