LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Coach John Shirreffs is a affected person man. He takes his time growing horses. He doesn’t rush them to the monitor. He doesn’t put them in races till he believes they’re prepared.
However he’s at Churchill Downs with a horse that’s greater than prepared however at present doesn’t have a spot within the 151st working of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Baeza, who completed second within the Santa Anita Derby, is on the surface wanting in, needing one horse to scratch earlier than Friday morning to make the beginning subject. The time period is “also eligible,” which means eligible if a spot opens. It’s like being on the bubble for a seat on an airplane when the flight is totally booked.
“It’s very awkward,” Shirreffs mentioned standing outdoors Barn 41 on the Churchill Downs backstretch. “It’s tough to come over here and not know you’re going to run. And then to wait to see if somebody has to scratch, and that’s not something you hope for. You want everybody to enjoy their Derby experience. So, it’s very awkward, but because he has that opportunity it would be a shame if something like that happened and he wasn’t here to run.”
The loopy factor is generally the second-place finisher within the Santa Anita Derby is assured a spot in Louisville due to the 50 factors related to the consequence. However this yr, Churchill Downs began penalizing races that would not have sufficient starters. This yr’s Santa Anita Derby had 5 starters, which means the purpose complete was 75% of regular. If it had dropped to 4 starters, it might been decreased to 50%.
Baeza has 37.5 factors whereas the horse in entrance of him, Render Judgment, has 39. Render Judgment made the sphere when Tappan Road, winner of the Florida Derby, sustained a minor harm and was pulled from the race.
Shirreffs will not be solely affected person, however cautious, too, based mostly on his reply concerning the equity of the brand new Derby factors guidelines.
“I hear all the time, that’s the system, and there is no changing that,” Shirreffs mentioned. “So, I don’t really have an opinion on that. That’s above my responsibilities. It’s just unfortunate it happened to Baeza this year.”
Shirreffs’ unique plan was to skip the Derby and level to the Preakness Stakes so he wouldn’t be on this place.
“Well, that was my thought,” Shirreffs mentioned. “But after analyzing the situation and the possibilities and, once again, the Kentucky Derby is the race, so [owners] Mr. [Lee] Searing and Mr. [Robert] Clay decided why not take a chance and see if he gets in.”
Two years in the past, Shirreffs was at Churchill Downs able to put Skinner within the Derby. Nevertheless, the colt, owned by Lee and Susan Searing, developed a fever and was scratched.
The Santa Anita Derby was the one factors race for Baeza, a $1.2 million son of McKinzie. As a Could foal, he was just a little late growing. It took him three tries to interrupt his maiden and his fourth race was the Santa Anita Derby.
Thoroughbred coach John Shirreffs
(Horsephotos / Getty Photos)
Shirreffs, 79, will not be a coach beneath the radar. He gained the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo however he’s finest identified for coaching Zenyatta, thought-about by many the most effective feminine horse ever. Zenyatta gained 19 of her 20 races, typically towards male horses, shedding her final race within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional by a head.
Shirreffs grew up round horses since his father owned some. He didn’t instantly go into the horse enterprise however as a substitute joined the Marines and was shipped to Vietnam.
“When I got back from Vietnam, I had no place to go,” Shirreffs mentioned. “But I had a friend who knew somebody, so they said, ‘Come on out west, John.’ So, I came out west.”
Initially, Shirreffs labored on a cattle ranch in Lincoln, Calif., 10 miles north of Roseville.
“So, here I am a New Yorker,” he mentioned. “I don’t know anything about that except I’ve seen a lot of cowboy movies. So, Jim Matthews pulls up in his trailer, he has his horse set, he backs his horse out of the trailer. He’s got a Queensland Hill or an Australian Shepherd (dogs). He jumps up on his horse. … He takes out his rope, he slaps his horse and off he goes over to the brush. Oh my God, that’s a cowboy.”
Shirreffs went to work for Matthews nevertheless it solely paid room and board. Someday, Matthews gave Shirreffs a horse to promote.
“I’m riding this horse across this field and I get stuck in this mud bog,” Shirreffs mentioned. “It just so happens at this place, there’s a manager from a thoroughbred farm standing up on the hill. I get the horse out of the mud and Henry Freitus (of Loma Rica Horse Ranch) says to me ‘John, you like to come and work for me?’ And I said, well, sure, you know, I get paid here, right?
“One day in he says, ‘John, you want to take my horses to the fairs?’ I said, ‘Sure, Henry, I’d love to do that.’ That’s how it all started. You know, I never planned it and the opportunity just presented itself each time and when I was fortunate enough … and with my experience, whatever level, got me to the next level.”
Requested which was extra harrowing, Vietnam or the racing enterprise, Shirreffs demurred.
“Well, we don’t want to talk about that,” he mentioned with fun.
As for this wait-and-see week, he’ll have his reply by 9 a.m. Friday.
