LOUISVILLE, KY. — Spectators lined up four and five deep this morning to catch glimpses of Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby contenders American Pharoah and Dortmund.
As nervous trainers and owners awaited the post position draw at 5:30 p.m., Baffert's traditional Barn 33 was the epicenter of this year's Derby spectacle. That's because his horses could be the first and second choices in the morning line for Saturday's race, a rare happening even for a trainer as successful as Baffert
"I cannot believe I'm here with two horses like this," he said, sunlight glinting off his signature shock of white hair.
Baffert was pleased with both horses' workouts. He said Dortmund, whose massive frame drew oohs and ahs from onlookers, prefers the surface at Churchill Downs to that of his home track at Santa Anita Park in California.
"Dortmund moves so much better over this track than he does over Santa Anita," Baffert said. "He really doesn't like Santa Anita. The way he moves over this track, it's a little softer and deeper, and he really likes it."
American Pharoah, meanwhile, continued to draw raves from onlookers with his effortless stride.
"Pharoah, he just floats around there," Baffert said. "He floats."
childs.walker@baltsun.com