Baffert Contenders to Remain Apart -- For Now

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Mike Pegram's San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) winner Preachinatthebar emerged from his first career graded stakes score in good order, trainer Bob Baffert said, and a next start for the gray son of Silver Charm--Holy Nola, by Silver Deputy will be picked out in a "couple of weeks," according to the conditioner.

Baffert indicated Preachinatthebar will most likely make his next start in either the April 10 Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct or April 3 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), with Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Wimbledon starting wherever his stablemate doesn‚t.

"We'll split them up," Baffert said. "We've been waiting for (Preachinatthebar) to come around. He was a slow-maturing horse; he was that way as a baby. He's still not there yet, but he's getting there. We took the training wheels off and now he's out there on his own. I'm glad for (sire) Silver Charm (trained by Baffert to win the Kentucky Derby). If you want a Derby horse, you have to have a Silver Charm."

As for Baffert's other San Felipe runner, fourth-place finisher Odds On, he will undergo a myectomy surgery to repair his palate.

"He should have kept going, but he displaced his palate. We're going to give him a quick little myectomy."

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