LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Bob Baffert wanted to keep Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky around until the end of the year to run in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It wasn't easy.

The 3-year-old colt opened the Triple Crown series in May as the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Instead, he finished sixth, done in by starting on the rail and getting bumped around in the early going.

``I felt like Sonny Liston, man. Where did that punch come from?'' said co-owner Mike Pegram, so bummed he barely wanted to watch the rest of the race.

Baffert was crushed, too. Lookin At Lucky was wiped out from the experience, and the Hall of Fame trainer figured they'd head home to California.

But he waited a week at Churchill Downs and the colt perked up, so Baffert decided to bring him to Baltimore for the Preakness.

The trip paid off. Lookin At Lucky won, giving Baffert his first Triple Crown victory in eight years. The colt caught the sniffles after the race and since Baffert had no interest in running him in the grueling Belmont, he went home.

In August, Lookin At Lucky won the Haskell. But he came down with a fever that set back his training and he missed the Travers.

A year ago, he ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita and finished second after a rough trip similar to what happened in this year's Kentucky Derby.

Pegram jokingly called his horse Lookin At Bad Luck.

Lookin At Lucky rebounded again to win the Indiana Derby in Pegram's home state in his final tuneup for Saturday's $5 million Classic.

``You know how lucky you got to be to get here in six months?'' Pegram said, noting how many horses get injured or retire before year's end. ``That's what it's about, keeping a horse fit for a full year. It's like trying to keep your closer ready.''

Having survived his ups and downs, Lookin At Lucky is a threat to hand 19-0 favored Zenyatta her first loss in the 1 1/4-mile Classic on the same dirt track where he lost the Derby.

There's one skeptic in Baffert's household, however.

After telling his son Bode that Lookin At Lucky is going to run against Zenyatta, the 5-year-old with uncommon horse sense replied, ``Why?''

Unlike Lookin At Lucky, Zenyatta has yet to race at Churchill. She was scratched last Derby eve because of a sloppy track. Of the 6-year-old mare's 19 wins, 17 came on synthetic surfaces in California and two were on dirt in Arkansas. Both times she won on dirt by the largest margins of her career - more than four lengths.

``The queen is the queen,'' Pegram said. ``I think she's the best horse. She's the real deal. I just laugh when I hear people say she's a synthetic horse. They ought to be glad she's been on synthetics.''

Zenyatta trained Wednesday for the first time since arriving a day earlier.

``She handled the track really well,'' trainer John Shirreffs said. ``In reality, she prefers a dirt surface to a synthetic surface.''

Lookin At Lucky has won three in a row and four of his six starts this year. Zenyatta is 5-0 this year.

Baffert stayed away from Tuesday's draw, worrying Lookin At Lucky would again end up along the rail, which proved unlucky in the Derby.

He was relieved to learn his horse will break from the No. 12 post on the far outside, while Zenyatta has the No. 6 spot.

``You just hope for a clean trip for everybody,'' Pegram said. ``Let them duke it out.''

Zenyatta typically lags behind the pack for much of a race before making her move late.

``When she gets to the sixteenth pole, it's like giving Michael Jordan the ball,'' Pegram said. ``She's going to get it done.''

However, Lookin At Lucky's camp isn't conceding anything.

``It's horse racing,'' Baffert said. ``You still got to get around there.''