“It’s a very important race. It’s a bucket-list kind of race and so it’s very important that the Derby is a success and that people show up and watch it. It keeps the game going. I can’t imagine racing without a Kentucky Derby. It’s our Masters. It’s the race that defines your career,” Bob Baffert said as he stepped on Churchill Downs after his suspension. The trainer really wanted to get back to the winner’s circle; it would have been such a great way to redeem his story. But things didn’t turn out the way he or a lot of his fans expected.

Baffert brought two horses to the Kentucky Derby: Citizen Bull and Rodriguez. So, it turns out Rodriguez had to pull out just days before the race because of a hoof bruise. That opened the door for Baeza to jump in at the last minute. Citizen Bull, starting from the tough No. 1 spot, got off to a quick start but really struggled and ended up finishing 15th in the muddy conditions—definitely not what anyone was hoping for. With Rodriguez still out, Baffert turned to his promising colt, Goal Oriented. He was undefeated going into the Preakness Stakes, but he didn’t have much experience under his belt.

Even though Goal Oriented showed some promise at the start, it just couldn’t keep up with the leaders like Journalism and ended up finishing fourth. So, Rodriguez bounced back enough to compete in the Belmont at Saratoga, where he started strong but ended up finishing in fourth place. He started off strong against the leaders but just couldn’t keep up as Sovereignty surged ahead to take the win, with Journalism coming in second and Baeza finishing third. Even though Baffert is one of the most famous trainers in the sport, he didn’t manage to snag a win in the Triple Crown this season.

It seems like the trainer is gearing up for a big comeback by getting a head start on preparations for the Breeders’ Cup. So, who’s the horse? Nysos is the one Baffert is prepping for that upcoming G1 race. According to DRF, the trainer mentioned, “The main thing is to have him ready for the Breeders’ Cup.” There’s another race coming up where Nysos will really be put to the test, kind of like a warm-up for the big one later in the season. The trainer was thinking about entering the colt in the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs on June 28.

However, Baffert has now confirmed that the $300,000 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles is a better match for the 4-year-old colt’s schedule. He mentioned, “I was going to go for the Stephen Foster, but I thought I’d give him extra time.” Last time out, the colt snagged a win in the Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, and before that, he took part in the Churchill Downs Stakes, where he finished in second place. It was the only race in his career where the colt finished behind the first place.

Nysos has a solid record, so his future seems promising. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs in the races leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, though—only time will tell! Even though the Triple Crown didn’t go as hoped, the trainer has been finding joy in celebrating the small victories this season.

Bob Baffert appreciated his horse’s talent

So, recently, there was this filly named Himika, who’s worth $900,000 and is by Curlin. She’s trained by Bob Baffert for Baoma Corp., and let me tell you, she really impressed everyone with her impressive first outing at Santa Anita!

Despite a few early positioning hiccups—her jockey, Juan Hernandez, found himself stuck behind the leader—Himika broke free at the top of the stretch and took off, winning by six lengths in a solid time of 57.86 seconds over five furlongs. DRF mentioned that Baffert was quite impressed with how Himika took the race, saying, “I think she is a very nice filly. I liked the way she sat behind horses. She’s professional.”

When the room finally opened, the filly really showed off her athleticism and calmness—two key traits for a future stakes contender. Absolutely, the horse racing season is still going strong, and there’s definitely hope for Baffert’s full-square comeback.