Bob Baffert should get a Triple Crown for finishing second in all three legs
If there was a Triple Crown for finishing second in all of the three races than it would definitely go to trainer Bob Baffert and owner Ahmed Zayat, who first finished second with Bodemeister in the Kentucky Derby, and then the Preakness Stakes.
The valiant, Paynter, was the owner’s and trainer’s second choice after they had enough with Bodemeister finishing second to I’ll Have Another in the first two jewels of the Triple Crown.
Bred in Kentucky, Paynter is the son of Awesome Again, who ran fourth to I’ll Have Another in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby at about 1 1/8 miles on 7 April, 2012.
The Derby start was slashed when he entered in the Grade 3 Derby Trial Stakes a week before the Kentucky Derby itself; where again he showed he has what it takes to be a good racer after getting a little mature.
Paynter finished a close second to Derby Trial Stakes winner, Hierro, at Churchill Downs over a distance of 1 mile on 28 April, 2012.
In between, the Derby Trial Stakes and the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, Paynter ran in an allowance race at Pimlico on Preakness Day, and won it comfortably, as he downed the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 42.96 seconds.
According to trainer Bob Baffert, Paynter came out of the Belmont Stakes just fine, other than sustaining a nick on his left hind.
Baffert added: “He’ll go back home, freshen up, and we’ll look to bring him back somewhere on the East coast. Maybe the Jim Dandy (gr. II on July 28) – we’re shooting for the Travers (gr. I) with him. We have (Derby and Preakness runner-up) Bodemeister for the Haskell.”
"He was doing so well. I just feel bad for Mr. Zayat. The poor guy, he's been tortured on this Triple Crown. Turning for home, I knew we had the horse to do it and that horse snuck up on him there. He's still a young horse, still learning how to run. It's over. When you get beat, you get beat."
Out of Cee’s Tizzy mare Tizso, Paynter is scheduled to return to South California on 11 June, 2012.
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