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Trainer Bob Baffert on being back at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby
Trainer Bob Baffert talks about being back at Churchill Downs for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
- Journalism had been scheduled to breeze Saturday morning but galloped instead
- Five Kentucky Derby hopefuls breezed Saturday morning at Churchill Downs
When the likely Kentucky Derby favorite has his final pre-race workout rescheduled, people will take notice.
And so there was Journalism co-owner Aron Wellman on Saturday morning, facing a curious media contingent after Journalism galloped — but didn’t breeze — at Churchill Downs.
Wellman said Journalism’s final breeze was postponed to Sunday because the Churchill Downs track was slightly off Saturday morning.
“In a perfect world we would have worked today, seven days out from the race,” Wellman said. “But not being 100% comfortable with the track condition we just decided to err on the side of caution and wait an extra day.”
Any issues with Journalism?
“He’s fit as can be,” Wellman said.
Perhaps most affected by the change in plans was jockey Umberto Rispoli, who took a red-eye flight from California on Friday night and landed in Cincinnati on Saturday morning, then caught a ride from agent Matt Nakatani to Churchill Downs.
After Journalism’s workout was postponed, Rispoli was on a flight from Louisville back to California in order to ride at Santa Anita Park on Saturday afternoon. Nakatani said Rispoli likely would catch another flight back to Louisville in order to breeze Rispoli on Sunday morning.
“Umberto knew that risk coming in because we had weather yesterday,” Wellman said. “At the end of the day, the horse comes first. Umberto knew that.”
Five Kentucky Derby hopefuls did get in their final workouts Saturday morning, all going five furlongs – Render Judgment (59 seconds), Burnham Square (59.20 seconds), American Promise (59.40 seconds), Tappan Street (59.60 seconds) and Final Gambit (five furlongs, 1:01).
After Tappan Street’s workout, trainer Brad Cox announced the horse suffered a condylar fracture to his right front foreleg and will miss the Kentucky Derby.
Among those who may join Journalism for workouts on Sunday are Publisher, Tiztastic, East Avenue, Rodriguez and Sovereignty.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
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