Bob Baffert Restores Faith in Zedan Stables Horse Despite Messy Horse Racing Season

Sometimes horse racing feels a lot like life. You put everything into it, you take your swings, and sometimes you miss. That’s how 2025 started for Bob Baffert and his longtime partner, Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing Stables. Their big Derby hope, Rodriguez, looked ready to shine on the biggest stage, only to be scratched at the last minute with a bruised foot. For Zedan, who had invested not just money but faith into this season, it felt like another blow in a year already weighed down with setbacks. Just when the story seemed to tilt toward disappointment, along came a reason to believe again. His name is Buetane.

Buetane isn’t just another million-dollar horse. Yes, Zedan Racing spent $1.15 million on him at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale, but what he carries goes beyond numbers. He carries a story. The colt was named after pitcher Walker Buehler, a two-time World Series champion and one of Bob Baffert’s close friends. That connection makes Buetane feel personal, almost like a tribute. And now, as he lines up for the prestigious $300,000 Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, Baffert’s confidence in him is plain: “They tip us off in the mornings and then they have to run in the afternoons. I think he has trained well. It looks like it is going to be a tough Hopeful. It’s a good spot for him.”

With jockey Juan Hernandez in the saddle, Buetane isn’t just a prospect anymore; he feels like redemption taking shape. And that redemption is rooted in the bond between Amr Zedan and Baffert. Their relationship goes deeper than business. It’s a pact of trust. Zedan put it simply: “Whatever the boss like, we just buy!”  That loyalty held strong through Medina Spirit’s disqualification.

It survived long legal fights with Churchill Downs. Where many owners might have turned their backs, Zedan stood firm. He doubled down, calling Baffert “one of the most legendary trainers in the history of our sport.” That loyalty isn’t just rare in racing, it’s almost unheard of. And it’s what gives Buetane’s story its weight. This isn’t just about a horse trying to win a race. It’s about friendship, faith, and the belief that redemption sometimes shows up on four legs, ready to run. Still, 2025 has been one of Baffert’s hardest seasons.

Bob Baffert faces a year of near misses and missed chances

Bob Baffert’s long-awaited return to the Triple Crown trail in 2025 ended without the glory he is known for. He failed to win any of the three classics, a rare and humbling result for a Hall of Fame trainer. The Kentucky Derby set the tone when his star colt, Rodriguez, was scratched days before the race with a foot bruise, and Citizen Bull, last year’s juvenile champion, could do no better than 15th.

To add sting, Journalism – a rival many thought Baffert could handle surged to a runner-up finish and left the spotlight drifting away from Baffert’s barn. And then Preakness brought no relief.

Rodriguez was again sidelined, while Goal Oriented’s fourth-place finish left fans and critics questioning what might have been if he had gotten a cleaner trip. By the Belmont, Rodriguez managed only fourth behind Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza, confirming that Baffert’s once iron grip on the classics had loosened.

Beyond the Triple Crown, his presence on the world stage dimmed: none of his horses cracked the top ten in global rankings, with Nysos sitting at 17th while others soared ahead.

And yet, 2025 wasn’t without silver linings. Barnes, a Zedan Racing colt under Baffert’s care, captured the San Vicente Stakes, picking up Derby points before connections opted for a cautious route.

Citizen Bull, too, found redemption before his Derby flop, winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on February 1 to reassert himself as a genuine talent. These flashes of success hinted that while the Triple Crown slipped away, Baffert and Zedan still had firepower in the barn.