BOB Baffert was delighted that Oaklawn Park officials split the $500,000 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby into two divisions as it allowed Charlatan and Nadal to keep their perfect records intact by winning their respective divisions and gives the trainer an extremely powerful hand for the three-year-old classics whenever they are held.

Baffert also has another unbeaten colt in Authentic in his barn. “I’m really excited about these three. It’s hard to separate these three three-year-olds. They are good horses, and I’m lucky to have them,” the dual Triple Crown- winning trainer said.

“I wish the Derby was next month in June, but we just have to put these horses in bubble wrap and just take our time,” Baffert added later in the week.

Nadal and Charlatan have enough qualifying points for the Derby, but how to prepare horses for the first Saturday in September at Churchill Downs is the dilemma facing trainers.

Santa Anita is on course to get back racing in late May and Baffert said he’ll likely run at least one of the trio in the Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1), rescheduled for June 6th the same day as the Belmont Stakes remains scheduled for.

Although less visually impressive, Nadal won the second and tougher of the two divisions, and the son of Blame pleased his trainer. “Nadal was ready for this,” he said. “He was tested the last time.”

Nadal was coming off a tough victory in the March 14th Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn where he set fast fractions and still managed to score by less than a length.

On Saturday, the Louisiana Derby winner Wells Bayou led early under Florent Geroux while Joel Rosario and Nadal tracked in second before forging to lead as Wells Bayou tired approaching the quarter pole.

From there, the odds-on favourite pulled away in the final furlong to cross the wire three lengths ahead in 1m 48.34secs, a time slightly faster than Charlatan’s 1m 48.49secs two races earlier.

“We learned today that both Nadal and Charlatan are gifted horses and that Nadal can sit off horses. That’s good news,” said Baffert.

Nadal, who had 50 qualifying points before Saturday, pushed his total to 150 with his fourth consecutive win and bought his earnings to $1,053,000,

The Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner King Guillermo was second for trainer Juan Avila and former major leaguer Victor Martinez’s Victoria’s Ranch stable.

Charlatan impresses

Charlatan, a son of Speightstown, made all in the first division of the Derby. Guided by Martin Garcia, he broke perfectly and was sent straight to the front. Moved to the rail, the colt made it look easy along the backstretch in fractions of :22.88, :46.08, and 1:09.68 for six furlongs racing in a two-length lead.

Steve Asmussen’s Basin, last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner, broke well under Ricardo Santana Jr. and pressed the leader, followed by Anneau d’Or in third.

Charlatan found another gear at the top of the stretch and increased his margin to over four lengths. Santana asked Basin for more but the colt posed no threat to Charlatan, who crossed the wire six lengths in front.

“Charlatan just goes fast and faster. He’s a smaller version of Justify,” Baffert said.

“I can say I am really lucky to ride him,” Garcia said. “Mr. Baffert and the owners had a lot of choices. I just did my job, and he took me to the winner’s circle. They told me we were smoking. I went in 1:09, and he was just galloping. He did it all within himself.”

Gouverneur Morris finished a neck behind runner-up Basin for third. Charlatan’s 100 points moved him to fourth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Charlatan has made rapid progress as he only made his debut for Baffert on February 16th in a maiden at Santa Anita going on to win his second start in a mile allowance race on March 14th by an even more dominating 10 and a quarter lengths.

Charlatan has earned $367,200 from his three victories and his breeding rights were acquired by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm during the week.

Churchill goes ahead

CHURCHILL Downs released its first condition book of the year after receiving the go-ahead from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to conduct spectatorless racing from May 16th. The Stephen Foster Handicap will be the most valuable race highlighting on June 27th.

Golden Gate Fields in California has also been given provisional approval by the Alameda County Health Department to resume racing on May 14th, under strict health and safety protocols, including no spectators or owners.

Preakness date

The Stronach Group, which owns Maryland Jockey Club tracks Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, announced mid-week that the date of the postponed Preakness Stakes has not been finalised despite reports that it had been scheduled for October.