Bob Baffert Crushes Horse Racing Trainers to Reclaim Del Mar Spot

Bob Baffert’s 2025 season kicked off not with the exciting sound of hooves racing to victory, but with a subtle sense of disappointment about what could have been. The Hall of Fame trainer, a giant in the sport, faced a tough beginning, with a year filled with close calls and missed opportunities that made his hold on the classics slip a bit. His much-anticipated comeback to the Kentucky Derby ended far away from the podium as his Triple Crown trail wrapped up without a win in any of the three races.

By summer, the story was all about a challenging season filled with setbacks: Rodriguez’s untimely injury at the Derby, Citizen Bull’s drop off in form, and another untimely injury this time with Nysos. But just when it looked like the season’s disappointments would continue, the familiar vibe of the Del Mar Racetrack set the scene for an amazing comeback. The Southern California course, which Baffert has referred to as “our Saratoga,” has been a catalyst for positive results.

The stats shared by Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on X really show how impressive this comeback has been. Bob Baffert has an impressive showing at the meet, with just 62 starts and managing to saddle 20 winners, which gives him a remarkable win rate of 32%. Plus, his horses like Citizen Bull and Splendora managed to finish with money—whether it was a win, place, or show—in an impressive 63% of their races, showing a level of consistency that really outperformed the competition.

This win total puts him at the top of the trainer leaderboard, four wins ahead of his closest competitor, Philip D’Amato. It’s impressive, especially considering Baffert has entered almost 50 fewer horses, highlighting the incredible efficiency and quality of his barn.

This statistical dominance was powered by a string of high-profile victories that silenced any doubters. However, what are some of his interesting wins at the racecourse?

Bob Baffert is an unstoppable force at Del Mar

Honestly, Del Mar really feels like Saratoga for Bob Baffert. Desert Gate, a two-year-old colt and offspring of Omaha Beach, really made a statement with an impressive 8 3/4-length win in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes. It was quite the breathtaking performance!

This win was historically significant, securing Baffert an unprecedented 12th victory in that race and his fourth consecutive win in the event, a clear demonstration of his enduring prowess with young horses. His success at Del Mar wasn’t just confined to the sophomore division. He also had some big wins with older horses like Seismic Beauty, who took home the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.

It’s pretty impressive how this record-setting win rate and those big-stakes victories show that even with a shaky start to the year, Baffert has managed to come back strong and really take charge at Del Mar. Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if he and his stable can hold onto the Del Mar throne, or if this season will throw some tougher challenges their way.