It looks like the 2025 Kentucky Derby didn’t turn out quite like Bob Baffert expected. He was really looking forward to a fairy tale return to Churchill Downs, maybe even snagging his seventh title. So, after Rodriguez’s horse had to be scratched, his other horse, Citizen Bull, actually took the lead for a bit. But in the end, he finished in 15th place. It was quite a disaster for the 72-year-old. He’s already excited about the next part of the American Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes.

The $2 million purse race is going to be packed with excitement, and fans are absolutely buzzing about it! So, Baffert has shared some updates about his two horses: Rodriguez and Goal Oriented. “He’ll be perfect for the Belmont. I couldn’t prep him like I wanted to [for the Preakness]. Once he had the foot issue, you got to let those things simmer down. I didn’t have enough time,” the 72-year-old trainer said, sharing an update on Rodriguez’s condition for the Preakness Stakes, as reported by DRF.

Bob Baffert shared that he initially wanted to have the colt all set for the Preakness Stakes, but a foot issue got in the way of that plan. He pointed out that foot issues really need time to heal right, and bringing Rodriguez back too soon just wasn’t a good idea. So, because of that setback, Baffert wasn’t able to prep him the way he wanted, but now he thinks Rodriguez will be ready for the Belmont Stakes.

In a similar vein, Baffert mentioned Goal Oriented, “Some horses are made for it. I think he has a lot of quality. We haven’t seen his best yet. I would have run him a mile first out at home, but the timing wasn’t right. This race, the other day, we put him on the lead. I don’t think he has to be on the lead. We did it because we didn’t know what to expect with the rain. I was going to run him in the Sir Barton and Rodriguez in the Preakness. To me, he’s going to run hard in the Sir Barton; I’d rather run him in the Preakness.”

Baffert thinks the horse has plenty of hidden potential waiting to be discovered. He mentioned that Goal Oriented is really suited for tough races, like those in wet weather, even if the horse hasn’t quite shown his full potential yet. Baffert initially had plans for Goal Oriented to compete in the Sir Barton Stakes and Rodriguez in the Preakness. However, with things shifting around, he’s now considering that Goal Oriented could be ready to take a chance at the Preakness instead. Regarding the $2 million race, what is Baffert’s record?

Bob Baffert’s impressive Preakness Stakes record

Did you know that Bob Baffert has the most Preakness Stakes wins by a trainer? He’s racked up eight victories from 1997 all the way to 2023! He has celebrated Preakness victories with Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, Point Given in 2001, War Emblem in 2002, Lookin At Lucky in 2010, American Pharoah in 2015, Justify in 2018, and National Treasure in 2023. So, what did he say after winning in 2023?

“This day was like a roller coaster,” Baffert said. Absolutely, the Preakness is a Grade 1 event, and the stakes are pretty much on par with the other parts of the American Triple Crown.

It’s pretty impressive that American Pharoah and Justify both clinched the Triple Crown, right? That makes Baffert one of just two trainers to pull off this amazing achievement twice. His ongoing success at the Preakness really highlights how skilled he is at strategizing and getting horses ready for those big competitions.