Longines Kentucky Oaks

LOUISVILLE – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert would not be denied.

His hopes of having a top contender for the Kentucky Derby – or any starter at all, as it turned out – were dashed when Mastery suffered an ankle injury after a commanding victory in the San Felipe Stakes.

But Abel Tasman could not have represented him any better in winning the 143^rd Longines Kentucky Oaks by 1 ¼ lengths against Daddys Lil Darling on Friday before 105,100 fans at Churchill Downs.

“It never gets old,” Baffert said of his success at the iconic track. “It’s exciting, especially when you don’t have the heavy favorite and you can win one like that.” He previously won the Oaks with eventual Hall of Famer Silverbulletday (1999) and with Plum Pretty (2011).

Breaking from far outside in post 13 in a field of 14 and encountering a sloppy track for the first time in her seven-race career, Abel Tasman mounted a stirring last-to-first rally for jockey Mike Smith and the resilient Baffert. She returned $20.40, $9.20 and $6.40.

The bay daughter of Quality Road illustrates much of what Baffert’s sterling career has been about. When things go wrong, Baffert tends to find a way to make it right, particularly in prestigious races such as the $1 million Oaks.

After Abel Tasman and Smith finished a distant second to Paradise Woods in the Santa Anita Oaks on April 8, torched by 11 ¾ lengths, the trainer with the magical touch decided to add blinkers after consulting with Smith.

“We thought she lost a little focus during the race,” Smith said of the Santa Anita Oaks. “The blinkers made all the difference.”

Baffert is better than perhaps all but a precious few trainers in history at preparing a horse to peak at the perfect time. Sure, blinkers appeared to help. Two bullet works did not hurt, either.

The first was a scorching four-furlong move that went in :46.60 on April 16 at Santa Anita Park, the swiftest of 53 works at that distance that morning. That surely put her on edge. The second bullet drill occurred on April 22, when she traveled seven furlongs in 1:25.20. That made certain she was plenty fit for the mile and an eighth.

“We knew she was doing well coming into this race,” Baffert said.

He also felt sure that Paradise Woods would not have the benefit of an easy lead. He was spot on there as jockey Paco Lopez applied steady heat with Miss Sky Warrior.

“I was watching the pace and I knew they were going pretty fast,” Baffert said. “I have a lot of respect for Paradise Woods, but I knew they’d get a lot of pressure.”

Baffert liked what he saw at the front of the pack as Paradise Woods clicked off an opening quarter of a mile in 22 3/5 seconds and the opening half-mile in 46.34 seconds. They were moving, all right. Abel Tasman was spinning her wheels and not at all caring to be down inside as she absorbed stinging kickback from clods of wet mud.

Smith angled her more toward the middle of the track and stayed cool, waiting and hoping that she would collect herself and find her footing. Suddenly, she did, launching a most impressive rally.

“Halfway down the backside, she got it all together,” Smith said.

Baffert will not have a Derby starter for only the second time in 11 years. He has already made an indelible mark with a quartet of winners – Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002) and, of course, American Pharoah (2015), the 12^th Triple Crown champion and the first in 37 years.

It appeared that Baffert had another special horse when Mastery commanded the San Felipe by 6 ¾ lengths. By the time Baffert and his family reached the bottom of the stairs on the way to the winner’s circle, it was clear the celebration would be muted.

Smith, sensing an injury, had already hopped off Mastery, who required immediate attention. He is recuperating from surgery to repair the fractured ankle; it is considered unlikely that he will race again.

Even on a day when he experienced another incredible high at Churchill Downs, Baffert could not help but think of the prized colt that would not make the Derby, leaving him to watch the festivities from his living room.

“In this sport,” he said wistfully, “things change overnight.”