Tim Yakteen savoring the experience after taking over Baffert’s Ky. Derby contenders

For Tim Yakteen, his ideal Kentucky Derby debut as the trainer of record would come with little fanfare.

If Yakteen could script it, he would keep a low profile and eliminate the distractions that come with trying to win one of the most prestigious events in horse racing.

That is decidedly not the case this week.

Yakteen arrived last weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville at the center of one of the biggest storylines of the 2022 Kentucky Derby: The banishment of trainer Bob Baffert.

In March, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission upheld a 90-day suspension given to Baffert, which came after Baffert’s 2021 Kentucky Derby-winning horse, Medina Spirit, failed a postrace drug test and was later disqualified.

Baffert is also banned from Churchill Downs through the spring of 2023.

But Baffert still had several horses under his stewardship that were likely contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Two of them — Messier and Taiba — were transferred from Baffert to Yakteen, a former assistant trainer of Baffert’s, earlier this year.

“I really don’t see them missing a beat,” Yakteen said on a video call with reporters last week about the horses following their change in trainer. “It would be just like any horse shifting from one team to another … they’ve been exceptionally straightforward, very easy to train. They’re smart horses. … They really don’t have any quirks about them, so it makes my job pretty easy.”

This brings us to Kentucky Derby week, as both horses are strong contenders to win the 148th running of the race, despite the chaos and chatter surrounding them.

Does Yakteen still think he’ll be able to keep a low profile this week in Louisville?

“I think that may not be as easily accomplished as I would be hoping.”

From Germany to Louisville

Yakteen’s story, independent of the Baffert connection, makes for fascinating reading.

Born to a German mother and a Lebanese-born father who became a U.S. citizen and joined the Army, Yakteen spent his first 18 years in Germany.

According to Yakteen’s website, he began in the horse racing industry by mucking stalls before eventually linking up with Baffert, then a Quarter Horse trainer.

The duo made the jump together to Thoroughbreds in 1988.

Yakteen was an assistant trainer for both Baffert and Charlie Whittingham, and he previously traveled to the Kentucky Derby twice with Whittingham with Strodes Creek (second in the 1994 Kentucky Derby) and Corker (11th in the 1996 Kentucky Derby).

Now, Yakteen is in prime position to make his own Kentucky Derby memories.

During Monday’s post position draw, Messier drew No. 6 and Taiba drew No. 12.

“It’s easy to feel good right now because things are going well, as a trainer that’s not always the case. You run into speed bumps along the way on campaigns occasionally, that will create a challenge,” Yakteen said. “Currently, I’ve been able to take it in stride and enjoy it. That’s what I’m hoping to do is to enjoy this trip.”

“He knows what it’s like. I’m sure he’s been told by a lot of his peers as well, just fully enjoy it, have fun, stay in the moment, have a good time with it because this is what it’s all about,” added Mike Smith, the veteran jockey who will be aboard Taiba for the Kentucky Derby. “He’s going to enjoy it, he’s going to have a good time, although technically you can say it’s his first horse in the Derby, but really he’s been around long enough. I think he’ll be great.”

‘You feel confident when you ride for him’

Taiba won the Santa Anita Derby on April 9 by more than 2 lengths over the favored Messier, a victory that came despite Yakteen and Gary Young (bloodstock agent), counseling against running Taiba in the race.

Owner Amr Zedan (who also owned Medina Spirit) made the decision for Taiba to race.

“I think Amr is a very educated individual and was able to understand what we were articulating, our concerns, the possible consequences of doing what he did,” Yakteen said. “He obviously, I think, made a very good choice. I’m reaping the benefits of it, as well as he is.”

But Taiba will face a historically difficult task when it comes to winning the Kentucky Derby.

Taiba has only two races under his belt, both wins.

The last and only horse to win the Kentucky Derby with two or fewer previous starts?

Leonatus in 1883.

The most recent horse to start the Kentucky Derby with just two prior lifetime starts was China Visit (sixth in 2000).

Taiba will also be worked just once in between the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby.

“I wanted to make sure that I was bringing a horse to Kentucky, to Churchill, with a full tank,” Yakteen explained. “It would do me no good to take a horse that I misread to Churchill and have him underperform because I overtrained him.”

Prior to that Santa Anita Derby defeat, Messier was one of the most hyped horses on the Derby trail.

With three wins and three second-place finishes in six career starts, Messier — sired by Empire Maker, who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes and was the grandsire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah — remains a strong Derby contender.

The jockeys with the mounts aboard Messier and Taiba also boost Yakteen’s chances of reaching the winner’s circle.

Smith, who will ride Taiba, will be making his 28th Kentucky Derby appearance, the most of any jockey. He’s bidding to become the oldest jockey to win the race.

“I love riding with Tim, he’s one of those guys (that) you just feel good, you feel confident when you ride for him,” Smith said. “His horses always look great, they’re always in great condition.”

John Velazquez, who has won three of the last 11 Kentucky Derbys, will be aboard Messier.

Yakteen has referred to them as his “clutch players,” comparing Smith and Velazquez to basketball greats Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

This marriage of quality horses and experienced jockeys has Yakteen bullish about his Derby chances.

“They fell into my routine very comfortably, I don’t see anything that would concern me,” Yakteen said of Messier and Taiba. “Since I’ve gone out on my own, these 3-year olds, they would be the best 3-year olds that I have ever had in my care under myself as a trainer.”

Baffert connection looms over Yakteen

While Messier and Taiba boast obvious quality, and the jockeys aboard them a wealth of Kentucky Derby race knowledge, the connection to Baffert will be inescapable for Yakteen and his horses this week.

Yakteen began last week’s video call with reporters with the following statement.

“Basically just wanted to start off with, look forward to doing the interview with you, want to talk about myself and the horses that I’ve got on the Derby trail.”

Less than four minutes later, he was asked about Messier and Taiba’s move from Baffert’s barn to his, and at what point those horses go from being considered Baffert’s horses to Yakteen’s horses.

“I don’t know how to answer that question. All I know is the horses are in my barn,” Yakteen said. “I’m moving forward with them and I look forward to going to Kentucky with them.”

One can’t occur without the other.

The life-changing fortunes of a Kentucky Derby win for Yakteen, with either horse, would be connected to their former trainer, Baffert.

The storylines are inseparable, swirled together beyond the point of separation.

“I sort of had a lottery ticket dropped in my lap,” Yakteen said. “And (I’m) trying to go to the window and cash it.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 6:30 AM.

Cameron Drummond

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-242-5257

Cameron Drummond works as a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader with a focus on Kentucky men’s basketball recruiting and the UK men’s basketball team, horse racing, soccer and other sports in Central Kentucky. Drummond is a second-generation American who was born and raised in Texas, before graduating from Indiana University. He is a fluent Spanish speaker who previously worked as a community news reporter in Austin, Texas. Support my work with a digital subscription