LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) -- If you want to find trainer Bob Baffert, the Derby favorite Justify, and barn 33, just follow the crowd.
By Saturday, the big Scat Daddy colt will certainly be accustomed to the attention.
The Derby favorite, Justify is now a magnet for the serious horseracing fan and the curious bystander. They lift their phones ready to record history, in advance…maybe.
“What are you waiting to see. Waiting to see Justify, the favorite. Do you really believe he's the one. Well, no, but we're here to see anyway,” one fan said.
And they were not alone. Three to 1 on the morning line is about great expectations.
“What is it about Baffert's barn. I think because he's been doing it so long, so many years. And he's the Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah,” another Justify watcher said.
Now we're getting into real railbird talk, barn rumors.
“I heard he thinks he's a better horse than American Pharoah,” another Justify watcher said.
Better than Pharoah? Could that be? And so, at 7:30 exercise rider up, and the huge chestnut colt emerges from the barn and they're off to the track.
Jockey Mike Smith, who will ride Justify on Saturday was one of those spectators.
“He looked beautiful. Uh, if looks could decide who the winner was, I mean he certainly would be one of the top ones,” Smith said. “He just looks amazing. He's doing well, he seemed to get over the ground really good, switching leads good coming off of those turns.”
Smith said Justify came off the track looking happy. He said he's excited but now the tough part is waiting.
Forty-eight hours until Derby, there are some parties to attend, a lot more talk will happen, but mostly there is a lot of waiting and wondering.