Preakness 2023: Coffeewithchris might be Salzman’s ticket out

Ask about the early pace in Saturday’s running of Preakness 2023, and two names rise from the past performances. National Treasure, whogets blinkers from trainer Bob Baffert, and Coffeewithchris, the local horsewho ...

Well, that’s just the point. Who?

“We’re here,” owner-trainer John Salzman Jr. said. “We’restabled in Maryland. This horse has done everything I’ve asked of him. And Iknow people don’t want to hear it, but he’s had a couple of excuses.”

Oh, yes. Those two recent defeats. It was appropriate that Salzmansaid that in a Wednesday morning interview at the Alibi Breakfast, the annualchicken-and-waffles get-together that is a celebration of the classic race and Marylandracing. If Coffeewithchris were to pull off what morning-line maker KeithFuestle said would be a 20-1 upset, he would be the first Maryland-bred horseto win the Preakness since Deputed Testamony 40 years ago.

The Ride On Curlin gelding seemed to be getting better since hewas paired in late December with jockey Jaime Rodríguez. After amaiden-breaking win more than a year ago came five forgettable losses with fourother riders. Once Rodríguez came aboard, Coffeewithchris won the Heft and theMiracle Wood, a pair of $100,000 winter stakes at Laurel Park.

Then came a competitive second to Hayes Strike two monthsago in the Private Terms, a race in which Coffeewithchris drew widest.

“He was in the 8 hole,” Salzman said. “Going into the firstturn at Laurel, it breaks right into the turn, and he was on the outside. So hewas like four or five wide. It makes you use him a little more than you had to.The second turn he was three wide, and he still made a big run and finishedsecond.”

With two firsts and two seconds in four stakes as a3-year-old, Coffeewithchris inspired bigger dreams for Salzman and his partnersFred Wasserloos and Anthony Geruso. They put up $3,000 to make the gelding a latenominee for the Triple Crown.

But then came April 15. In the 12th race of what clearly hadbecome a busy career, Coffeewithchris faded to finish 2 1/2 lengths up thetrack in fifth in the Federico Tesio, a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for thePreakness.

“In the Tesio we went from one extreme to the other. We werein the 1 hole. From the 1 hole, you have to go,” Salzman said. “We didn’t haveany choice but to be on the lead, and it’s just tough to get a horse to go amile-and-an-eighth on the lead. He never quit. He didn’t give up. He got beattwo lengths. I almost let those two lengths cost me from trying this.”

Since Coffeewithchris did not get the free entry that wentwith a Tesio victory, it cost Salzman, Wasserloos and Geruso another $30,000 infees to take a shot in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

“So $30,000 is a lot of money to me,” Salzman said. “I hadto come up with the $30,000. I spoke with the owners and had some help, andhere we are.”

Coffeewithchris has not made Salzman a rich man, but so farhe has been a good investment, earning $225,600 off a 12: 3-3-2 record. He wasbred by National Thoroughbred Racing Association president Tom Rooney, the formerFlorida Congressman whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers. All he costSalzman at a regional yearling sale 1 1/2 years ago was $2,000.

Salzman, 59, comes from a hard-working family that is steepedin Maryland racing. His wife feeds his horses, about a dozen of them. Hisfather still works the barns. His brother is fighting to survive cancer. Thinkingof the loyalty and long hours contributed by his barn staff, Salzman gotemotional speaking to the crowd at Wednesday’s breakfast.

“That’s the story to the success. My wife, my veterinarian,my exercise rider. Excuse me,” he said, fighting back tears as he put down the microphone.

There is no place like home for Salzman, who said he would havepreferred to keep training Coffeewithchris at Laurel Park, 28 miles south ofPimlico. It has been his family’s professional home and then some for 44 years.He has lived the decades of questions about the future of both tracks, especiallyas the owners from 1/ST Racing and the Maryland state government have beenunable to execute a long-term plan to rebuild crumbling Pimlico and to fix up Laurel.

“I don’t think Pimlico is going to be a great place foryear-round racing,” Salzman said. “I don’t see people coming to Pimlico toenjoy their day where at Laurel, you’re between Baltimore and Washington. There’strain tracks there. They could put a train station. I think Laurel coulddefinitely be the place to have it.”

That would be the same Laurel Park where the condition ofthe main track deteriorated twice in the last three seasons, forcing closuresand emergency repairs. Those problems and what he saw as a wrong turn into stricterand more costly regulation from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act hasmade Salzman rethink his dedication to racing.

“I am completely at a loss with the new rules,” Salzmansaid. “I have no clue what I can do and what I can’t do. It’s scary. They’rethreatening you if something happens. The game has really changed, and it’s sad.It really is sad. I’m looking for a good reason to retire, and winning thePreakness might be it.

Oh, the name Coffeewithchris. Yes, there is a story. And amessage.

“The horse is named after the track superintendent,” he said,meaning Chris Bosley of the Maryland Jockey Club. “Coffeewithchris was like ajoke. We were supposed to have coffee with Chris to express our opinions on theracetrack. I wouldn’t know Chris if he walked up to me right now.”

In spite of the difficulties at Laurel, Salzman said itshould not be considered a lost cause.

“I think the racetrack can be fixed,” he said. “It used tobe one of the best training surfaces in the country. I would run over it dayand night, and our turf course has come around. It’s gotten a lot better atLaurel. I’m not here to knock anybody. I just think with the right help, Laurel’strack is fine.”

Still, it was impossible for Salzman to forget about therecent experience of horsemen and track management being at odds and forcing asuspension of racing last month until the two sides could agree on anassessment of the track at Laurel.

Even so, the Preakness could provide him the biggest momentof his career if Coffeewithchris were to pull off the upset, complete with a$990,000 first prize. If it were a gate-to-wire victory, Salzman might not lookback.

“It’s going to be a life-changing experience if I can getlucky enough to win it,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to think about. I’ve beendoing it a long time, and it might be a good time to call it quits. You knowwhat I mean? Maybe I’ll do better than Tom Brady. Maybe I’ll just go out achampion.”