When you think of Bob Baffert, you seldom think of anything else other than him winning races. And yet, for the Hall of Fame trainer, 2025 has turned out to be less than celebratory. Returning to the Triple Crown after three years, Baffert ultimately didn’t make much of an impact at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. The stint at the Belmont Stakes didn’t prove to be any success either. But now, finally, it seems like bad days could be behind him.

The 72-year-old iconic horse racing trainer finally got something to smile about today. And where better to end his losing streak? In 2024, Baffert racked up 23 wins at Del Mar. And he’s back doing what he does best!

A post by FanDuel Racing On X from July 26 shared how the Del Mar 4 had a lot for Bob Baffert to breathe a sigh of relief about, finally.  “#8 BRANT ($3.60) looked like a future superstar on debut!” reads the caption for the social media update as the accompanying video shows the 2-year-old colt bagging a sensational victory in his debut race.

Brant made the headlines earlier this year when he was purchased for a record $3 million at the OBS March sale. On Saturday, the Baffert-trained horse secured his first win by 5 1/4 lengths at the maiden special weight in Del Mar, proving that a meteoric career could be well on the table. The 4-5 favorite was third in the pack in the opening quarter, but revved up in the final stretches with powerful strides to finish the 5 1/2 furlong race in a solid 1:02.63.

In 2021, Bob Baffert was suspended by the CDI for three years following his Kentucky Derby-winning Medina Spirit failing the post-race drug test. Naturally, when he returned to the legendary racecourse this year, fans immediately expected him to head back to his usual place at the winner’s circle. However, despite all the excitement, Baffert ultimately had to scratch Rodriguez and run the Derby with Citizen Bull, who finished the race in a disappointing 16th place.

A better result came for Baffert at the Preakness Stakes, but he still couldn’t find a spot on the podium. With Flavien Prat on his back, Goal Oriented came in fourth at the Pimlico racecourse. Goes without saying, fans started getting tired of seeing Baffert falling short of their expectations. Brant’s scintillating victory will surely help to catapult the 72-year-old into the middle of the fans’ celebrations once again.

However, this wasn’t the only big moment for the legendary horse trainer at this year’s Del Mar. And we daresay, it was a much-needed break, not only to help Baffert secure a win, but also to help him overcome his recent personal heartbreak.

Bob Baffert is slowly, but surely, getting back to his winning ways

Last month, the horse racing community lost a Titan. After years of dominating the racecourse and winning 15 Triple Crown races over an illustrious career, D Wayne Lukas breathed his last on June 28. Baffert was shattered. The two were fierce rivals on the racecourse, but had developed a close bond as two of the most sophisticated and successful trainers. Via an official statement, the 2x Triple Crown-winning trainer bid adieu to his departed comrade. Safe to assume, Baffert might feel like his Del Mar triumph was the best way to pay tribute to Lukas’ legacy. But Brant wasn’t the only horse who helped him to do so.

Just days before the Del Mar 4, another Baffert-trained horse, Splendora, was the first to make this year’s Saratoga look good to the trainer. The filly finished the race 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Ooty and crossed the finishing line in the 6-furlong race in 1:09.73. On the other hand, while the action at Del Mar continues, Baffert also received more heartening news from the San Diego handicap.

The San Diego Handicap has long been the bane of Baffert’s existence. From seeing his dual classic-winner Silver Charm fall behind, to accepting a hefty defeat at the race for the Dubai World Cup-winning Arrogate, Bob has had a lot of reasons to dislike the San Diego Handicap. But all that changed yesterday, when Nysos stormed through the traffic to secure a brilliant victory as the 1-9 favorite. “There was a lot of pressure. I’ve had a lot of good horses get beat in this race,” grinned the trainer after the race, evidently relieved by the result.

With the Travers and the Breeders’ Cup coming up, do you think his triple victory over the last couple of days will help Bob Baffert get back into his A-game? Share your thoughts below!