NEW YORK (AP) -If you think Bob Baffert likes finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, think again.
The first time the trainer saddled a horse in the Derby, he was second with Cavonnier in 1996, losing to Grindstone by the smallest of margins - a nose, after a photo finish. Upset but undeterred, Baffert simply came back and won the Derby the next two years, first with Silver Charm and then with Real Quiet.
Here we go again - maybe. Last year, Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile finished second in the Derby to 50-1 long shot Mine That Bird. Now the Hall of Famer has the early Derby favorite in Lookin At Lucky, along with several other hopefuls.
His brightest 3-year-old star overcame a rugged trip and won the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in his dirt debut. Lookin At Lucky's head victory over Noble's Promise simply fortifies the colt's No. 1 ranking on the AP's latest Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Derby contenders.
``He's a horse that can overcome,'' Baffert said. ``He's a great athlete and a great horse, which is half the battle.''
Lookin At Lucky has now won six of seven lifetime starts with earnings of $1.4 million for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman. They bought the son of Smart Strike for $475,000 at Keeneland's April sale in 2009. The colt's only loss was by a head to Vale of York in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
One last prep awaits Lookin At Lucky, either the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3 or the Arkansas Derby on April 10.
The results of three Derby preps Saturday created a shakeup in the AP's second five, with Baffert and Todd Pletcher still dominating the first five. Baffert also trains No. 3 Conveyance, while Pletcher trains No. 2 Eskendereya and No. 4 Rule.
Trainer John Sadler's Sidney's Candy went wire-to-wire in winning the San Felipe at Santa Anita over fellow Derby hopefuls Interactif and Caracortado, and moves in at No. 6. A son of Candy Ride, Sidney's Candy won the San Vicente in his 2010 debut and is expected to run next in the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 before heading to Churchill Downs.
Odysseus edged Schoolyard Dreams by a nose in the Tampa Bay Derby, and is ranked No. 7. The colt trained by Tom Albertrani is 3 for 4 and could run next in the Wood Memorial. Favorite Super Saver, another of Pletcher's Derby hopefuls, was third but remains in the Derby picture.
The finish was so close, it appeared Schoolyard Dreams had won.
``I really believed we might have just come short by a (head) bob,'' Albertrani said. ``I thought he needed another jump, but that's the way it worked out.''
Rebel runner-up Noble's Promise is the other new entry, at No. 9.
The Florida Derby takes the spotlight Saturday, with Pletcher's top two colts leading the way. Fountain of Youth winner Eskendereya is set for the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby - Sam Davis winner Rule is a possible - along with one-time Top 10 listers Jackson Bend, Radiohead and perhaps Tempted to Tapit.
Remsen Stakes winner Buddy's Saint, who finished ninth in the Fountain of Youth after a troubled trip, is off the Derby trail with a chipped right front ankle.
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1. Lookin At Lucky (Bob Baffert, trainer; Garrett Gomez, jockey): Dirt debut a winning one in Rebel ... Won despite stumble at start and clipping heels with Dublin ... Next start: Wood Memorial (April 3, Aqueduct, dirt) or Arkansas Derby (April 10, Oaklawn, dirt) ... Derby future wager odds: 9-1.
2. Eskendereya (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez): Looking for Fountain of Youth/Florida Derby double ... Worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.58 at Palm Meadows on Sunday ... Next start: Florida Derby (Saturday, Gulfstream, dirt) ... Odds: 5-1.
3. Conveyance (Baffert, Gomez): Unbeaten colt worked 6 furlongs in 1:12.00 last week at Santa Anita ... Has already won on dirt with Southwest win ... Next start: Sunland Derby (March 28, Sunland Park, dirt) ... Odds: 28-1.
4. Rule (Pletcher, Velazquez): Sam F. Davis winner worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.30 Sunday at Palm Meadows ... Next start: Florida Derby ... Odds: 20-1.
5. Awesome Act (Jeremy Noseda, Julien Leparoux): Gotham winner adjusting well to New York ... Next start: Wood Memorial ... Derby odds: 3-1 (mutuel field).
6. Sidney's Candy (John Sadler, Joe Talamo): Wire-to-wire winner of San Felipe ... has won 3 of 5 lifetime for weight-loss guru Jenny Craig ... Next start: Santa Anita Derby (April 3, Santa Anita, synthetic) ... Odds: 33-1.
7. Odysseus (Tom Albertrani, Rajiv Maragh): Tampa Bay Derby win puts colt on Derby trail ... Won by a nose on final jump, far cry from 15-length romp in previous start ... Next start: Wood Memorial ... Odds: 25-1.
8. Discreetly Mine (Pletcher, Javier Castellano): Risen Star breezed 5 furlongs in 1:04.20 at Palm Meadows on Sunday ... Next start: Louisiana Derby (March 27, Fair Grounds, dirt) ... Odds: 37-1.
9. Noble's Promise (Ken McPeek, Robby Albarado): Gritty runner-up effort in Rebel put him on the list ... No disgrace finishing behind Lookin At Lucky in past 3 races ... Next start: Arkansas Derby ... Odds: 26-1.
10. Dublin (D. Wayne Lukas, Corey Nakatani): Third in Rebel keeps Lukas' colt in the chase ... Next start: Arkansas Derby ... Derby odds: 10-1.
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Keep and eye on: Interactif, Jackson Bend, Radiohead, Schoolyard Dreams, Tempted to Tapit.
