After a disappointing Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert is already setting his sights on the $2 million Preakness Stakes. But, the trainer faced a lot of challenges. So, he had to change things up for Rodriguez, which meant Goal Oriented was the only horse left to compete in the G1 event. Still, the Hall of Fame trainer shared that he has a few concerns about his colt, even with the horse boasting a flawless 2-for-2 record.

“Well, we’re really not sure. I think, I like the fact that he ran twice, he won twice. He’s running back twice like a lot of the other horses. And I’ve had a lot of good luck running horses back two weeks later. My horses are used to, used to doing that. So I think that I’m not worried about that. I think worried about the competition’s probably more important. He’s never run against those kind of horses. He beat some nice maidens in California. He beat some nice horses in Kentucky. He’s stepping it up,” Baffert said.

Bob Baffert feels good about his horse being able to handle the quick turnaround between races, which is something his barn usually does well. However, he’s more worried about the competition Goal Oriented will be up against than the timing of the race itself. He noted that the colt has been looking pretty sharp, having taken down some maiden horses in California and then moving up to beat a solid group in Kentucky. However, he pointed out that the Preakness is a whole different level of competition.

Also, the 72-year-old mentioned, saying, “He has the one hole. You know, he’s, I don’t know what kind of trip he’s going to get from the one. You know, so there is some speed in there. So if he, I don’t know, I don’t think he needs the lead. It takes him a while to get going, but I know the distance is not going to be a problem. But it can only be a problem if the other horses are better than him.”

One of the main things Baffert is wondering about is how Goal Oriented will deal with tougher competition and a tricky post position. When a horse draws the inside gate, it brings a bit of unpredictability into the mix. This is especially true for a horse that needs some time to really get going and might have a tough time if it gets caught up in a fast-paced battle right from the start. Baffert thinks the distance shouldn’t be a problem, showing he trusts the colt’s stamina. However, he’s aware that a rough trip, too much pressure early on, or just running against a stronger group could really challenge his horse.

Baffert isn’t questioning his training or the colt’s fitness, but he’s a bit cautious about how Goal Oriented will hold up when facing tough competitors in not-so-great conditions. How confident was the trainer about the colt before?

Bob Baffert recognized his class right away

Baffert opened up about Goal Oriented, saying, “Some horses are made for it. I think he has a lot of quality. We haven’t seen his best yet. I would have run him a mile first out at home, but the timing wasn’t right. This race, the other day, we put him on the lead. I don’t think he has to be on the lead. We did it because we didn’t know what to expect with the rain. I was going to run him in the Sir Barton and Rodriguez in the Preakness. To me, he’s going to run hard in the Sir Barton; I’d rather run him in the Preakness.”

Bob Baffert’s comments about Goal Oriented show that he really believes in the colt’s hidden potential. It also highlights the change in strategy that brought him to the Preakness Stakes instead of the Sir Barton Stakes, which was the original plan.

The trainer pointed out that Goal Oriented hasn’t really shown what he’s capable of just yet, highlighting the colt’s natural talent and ability to adapt. Baffert would have liked to start him off at a longer distance, but the schedule just didn’t work out that way. In his latest race, the choice to put him in the lead was influenced more by the unpredictable weather than by any specific strategy, indicating that the horse doesn’t have to set the pace to perform well. We’ll just have to wait and see how the colt performs in the G1 event.