On Saturday, a new Kentucky Derby champion was crowned.
While the horse, Medina Spirit, wasn't a familiar face, the man who owns him was. That would be legendary racehorse trainer Bob Baffert.
Medina Spirit's victory gave Baffert his record-setting seventh Kentucky Derby win as a trainer/owner. After the race, he was elated with the effort of his horse, but he also credited an unlikely inspiration for providing him with good luck on Saturday.
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The interview that Baffert is referencing occurred in the lead-up to the Derby. The two were both six-time champions ahead of the event, so it made sense for the two winningest men in their professions to talk to one another about what it takes to win consistently.
During that interview, Belichick and Baffert expressed mutual admiration with the New England Patriots' coach lauding Baffert for the preparation of his horses.
"It's such an honor really to be here with Bob, so much respect for what you've done and I know racing is a tough profession," Belichick said in the interview. "You get one shot at it. There's no halftime, there's no timeout to make adjustments. Once they come out of the gate, that's it. You got two minutes to win and that's an incredible skill. I have so much admiration for what you do."
Belichick seemed to be enjoying himself during that interview and even cracked a joke when explaining what keeps him coming back for more even after all his wins.
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"I enjoy it. I enjoy every day of it. There have been a couple of weeks that haven't gone so good, but you snap out of it and bounce back, and you just turn the page and go, 'on to Cincinnati,'" Belichick said, with a smile.
That's a side of Belichick we don't see often, and Baffert clearly appreciated it. Perhaps that helped loosen him up and provided him with the "good luck" that he referenced. Or maybe just being in the virtual presence of one of the NFL's greatest coaches helped instill confidence in his training skills.
Either way, it's cool to see the two legends are friendly with one another and look up to each other. And perhaps if the Patriots make it to another Super Bowl, Baffert can provide Belichick with the luck he needs to take home his seventh title.