Smith to retain mount on Bodemeister in Derby

Daddy Nose Best was in need of a rider because his regular pilot, Julien Leparoux, is sticking with Union Rags.

Smith piloted Bodemeister for the first time in the Arkansas Derby, while

regular rider Rafael Bejarano stayed aboard fellow Baffert trainee Secret

Circle. Showing high cruising speed throughout, Bodemeister romped by 9 1/2

lengths from his stablemate.

In his immediate post-race comments, Smith wouldn't be drawn into the matter

of the Kentucky Derby mount.

"I don't even know if I'm going to get to ride this horse back, because I was

really just kind of filling in," Smith said. "I'm just going to enjoy it and

we'll see. We all know how much things can change this time of year before the

Derby."

Meanwhile, back at Oaklawn Sunday morning, Bodemeister was lazily munching

breakfast with his stablemates -- Secret Circle, himself a dual stakes winner this

season, as well as Wednesday's Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes winner Mamma Kimbo and

third-place finisher Jemima's Pearl. The two fillies are both prospects for the

Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 4. The Baffert quartet is scheduled to fly to Churchill Downs

Monday

morning.

Aside from his tremendous performance, Baffert was also pleased with

Bodemeister's pre-race demeanor.

"He ran like he did when he broke his maiden (winning by 9 1/4 lengths at

Santa Anita going one mile on February 11)," Baffert said. "He was relaxed. His

last race (second by three-quarters of a length to Creative Cause in the Grade 2

San Felipe Stakes on March 10 after leading into the stretch), he sort of fell

apart going to the gate, he got hot; he was a mess. Yesterday he was pretty

calm, cool and relaxed. He did everything very professionally."

Bodemeister and Secret Circle are expected to be joined in the Derby by

stablemate Liaison, the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity winner whose recent races have

been disappointing. All three have more than enough graded earnings to draw into

the Derby field, which is limited to 20 starters based on money gleaned in

graded stakes races.

"We'll train them at Churchill Downs and see what happens," Baffert said.

Baffert's assistant Jim Barnes returned from Oaklawn to California early Sunday morning with

Friday's Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap winner Plum Pretty and Saturday's Northern Spur

Stakes runner-up Drill.

Baffert shipped six horses to this year's Racing

Festival of the South at Oaklawn and came away with three graded stakes victories

(including two Grade 1s), two runner-up finishes and a third-place result.

"We took some really nice horses there," Baffert had said Saturday. "They all ran

well and had been training well."

In other Kentucky Derby news:

Chadds Ford Stable's Union Rags arrived at Keeneland on Sunday

morning after vanning from his winter headquarters at Palm Meadows in South

Florida. The Michael Matz trainee, who impressed in the Grade 2 Fountain of

Youth in his 2012 debut, exits a tough-trip third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.