LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The moments leading up to, during and immediately following the 146th Kentucky Derby led to a bag of mixed emotions for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Just moments before the race, Thousand Words fell in the paddock, injuring assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. With a last-minute scratch and Baffert's right-hand man on the way to the hospital, it was race time.

"I didn't have Jimmy with me, so it was so emotional," Baffert said Sunday morning. "I just told John to win it for Jimmy. Poor Jimmy was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital and his wife was giving him a play-by-play on the phone."

Baffert said Barnes broke his wrist in eight places, but was in good spirits Sunday. He also said Thousand Words was okay too. 

"That horse has always been hard to saddle. We should have saddled him on the walk going that way. It was a mistake," Baffert said.

Barnes' injury and the last-minute scratch was the low point of the night for Baffert. It was soon followed by a high as Authentic won the 146th Kentucky Derby. 

While it was certainly not Baffert's first rodeo in the Winner's Circle, it was the strangest. Soon after Authentic was presented with the ceremonial Garland of Roses, Authentic caused a stir near the podium knocking Baffert over. Baffert said the ribbon on the garland hit Authentic's legs spooking the horse. 

"It was probably the craziest, most emotional 25 minutes in racing I've ever had," Baffert said.

Baffert said Authentic and Thousand Words will stay at Churchill Downs in D. Wayne Lukas' barn before heading to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3.