TAMPA, Fla. — With a smile, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville openly admitted Thursday that he reached out to a close friend recently all revved up about the sports history that looms.
No, not that history.
Quenneville contacted buddy Bob Baffert, the trainer of American Pharoah, who would become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years by taking Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Baffert also trains Midnight Hawk, Quenneville's horse.
"We've been texting over the past week so he's all excited,'' Quenneville said. "He likes his horse and I'll root for him like crazy. He's been through it before.