The Factor blitzes six furlongs; Baffert hails 'big surprise' Midnight Interlude

The Factor blitzes six furlongs; Baffert hails 'big surprise' Midnight

Interlude

"We've got two more preps," trainer Bob Baffert said on a frenetic

Sunday morning at Santa Anita, where he worked Grade 1 Kentucky Derby hopeful

The Factor among others before hopping a plane for the Keeneland

two-year-old in training sale that starts Monday.

Multiple Grade 2 winner The Factor worked six furlongs on Santa Anita's fast

main track in 1:12 1/5 under regular rider Martin Garcia, who will be at Oaklawn

Park Saturday to ride the colt in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

The gray star missed earning the bullet by one tick behind three other horses

who went in 1:12, including older stablemates

Game on Dude, hero of the Grade 1 Santa Anita, and multiple Grade 3 scorer

Mythical Power.

The Factor, who "worked great" according to Baffert, is set to fly from

Ontario International Airport, east of Los Angeles, to Arkansas early Tuesday

morning.

On his previous trip to Oaklawn, The Factor posted a dominating 6 1/2-length

win in the Grade 2 Rebel on March 19, advancing his career record to

three-for-four. A similar tour-de-force in the Arkansas Derby would solidify him

as a Kentucky Derby favorite in the wake of the loss by champion Uncle Mo in the

Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Saturday.

But Baffert, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, knows better than to take

anything for granted.

"Lots can happen between now and then (May 7)," Baffert said. "I just worry

about my own horses."

Baffert's other Derby hopefuls are Midnight Interlude, the 13-1 upset winner

of this past Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, and Grade 1 winner Jaycito, who was scratched from the Santa Anita Derby because

of a bruise to his right front foot.

"Midnight Interlude came out of his race well, The Factor

worked this morning and we're working on Jaycito's foot.

He's not favoring it today so that's a good sign."

If he continues to progress as expected, Jaycito is scheduled to go in

the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland on April 23.

"Midnight Interlude was a big surprise yesterday," Baffert admitted. "I was hoping he would show me

something, but you never know. You hold your breath and you're sitting on pins

and needles."

It was a record sixth Santa Anita Derby win for Baffert, who became the first

trainer since the late H.A. (Jimmy) Jones to win both the Big 'Cap

and the Santa Anita Derby in the same year. Jones did it in 1953 with Chanlea

(Derby) and Mark-Ye-Well (Big 'Cap). Both horses were ridden by Eddie Arcaro for

Calumet Farm.

In other post-Santa Anita Derby news, trainer Steve Asmussen gave an update

on Silver Medallion, who finished fourth as the 5-2 favorite.

"Pleased with how Silver Medallion came out of the race," Asmussen said. "He goes to Churchill

with the bulk of the barn on the 14th (of April) as previously scheduled. I

haven't spoken with (owners) Mr. Marshall or Mr. Ryan yet this morning about

what we're going to point him towards."

As for how this Santa Anita meet went, Asmussen said, "We're extremely pleased. I think we

were very fortunate to have some nice horses, and I think we can do better."