Desert Gate won his second consecutive stakes in the $300,000 Texas Derby on Monday at Lone Star Park. After his strong effort, all options are on the table going forward, trainer Bob Baffert said Thursday.
“If the Preakness was in two weeks, I’d be there,” Baffert quipped. “He’s ready for the Preakness now!”
Desert Gate shipped in from Baffert’s Southern California base and won the Texas Derby by 6 1/4 lengths one start after capturing the Hot Springs Stakes at a mile at Oaklawn Park. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92 in the 1 1/16-mile Texas Derby.
“He came out of it well,” Baffert said. “You know what? He’s improving. He was doing well. Like I’ve said, he went backwards on me a little bit, but now he’s getting stronger and better. And he’s fast. What he did the other day – he stumbled, got up there, got into a fast early pace, and kept on, so it was good.”
Baffert said Desert Gate has shipped into his division at Churchill Downs with plans for his next start to be determined. Desert Gate is a son of Omaha Beach who races for the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.
“He should be a fun horse to have around,” said Baffert.
Baffert won his fifth Texas Derby on Monday. Overall, he has won 22 stakes from 44 career starts at Lone Star, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form.
“The Breeders’ Cup races, they hurt my average,” Baffert quipped of the championship series that was run at Lone Star in 2004.
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