Bob Baffert, who’s used to having a bunch of top-notch horses ready for the Breeders’ Cup, is showing off his impressive lineup as the championship gets closer. Over the years, Baffert has consistently put several horses in the running for various Breeders’ Cup events, using the strength and variety of his stable to boost his chances. He’s secured “Win and You’re In” spots for a few horses, including Imagination, Seismic Beauty, and Nevada Beach, all thanks to some impressive victories in graded stakes races.

Lately, his operation has been keeping a similar balance, mixing classic hopes with sprint possibilities and dirt specialists. Among all these plans, there’s a special spot for one of his champion colts, who is gearing up for the Dirt Mile.

As reported by @sdhorserace on X, “Citizen Bull worked 6-furlongs in a bullet 1:11.6 at Santa Anita Park Sunday for trainer Bob Baffert. 1/2. Last year’s Eclipse Award and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner is being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Racetrack Nov. 1st.” That impressive move — the workout suggesting he was the fastest in his group — shows that Baffert and his team see this horse as a real contender for Del Mar’s 1-mile dirt race.

Citizen Bull, who took home the win at the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and snagged that year’s Eclipse Award for champion two-year-old, has definitely been in the limelight for a while now. So, while his early days laid the groundwork, the focus has now shifted to a mid-career goal that involves a tougher surface and distance.

Baffert just clocked Citizen Bull running six furlongs in 1:11.6 at Santa Anita, and guess what? No one else in the same work came close to that time. It’s pretty clear he’s gearing up for a big push in the Mile.

If everything goes according to plan, Citizen Bull should head to Del Mar for the final touches, get used to the surface, and compete for the spot on November 1. However, there’s this colt that’s been going through a similar journey as Citizen Bull, and who knows, he could be Baffert’s next big star!

Bob Baffert’s rising two-year-old colt

About a year ago, Citizen Bull missed out on winning the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity for Bob Baffert. However, the horse actually went on to win the American Pharoah G1, then took the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and in the end, it was crowned the 2024 2-year-old champion.

During the start of  2025, everyone was talking about how this Baffert-trained colt was set to take the Kentucky Derby by storm. But after Sovereignty and Journalism stepped in, those predictions kind of faded away, turning it into a two-horse race. So, the situation is pretty similar with Baffert’s two-year-old colt, Brant.

The $3 million Gun Runner colt from Zedan Racing Stables really made a name for himself with a solid win at the Del Mar Futurity on September 7, 2025. His first win by 5 1/4 lengths and the Futurity victory at Del Mar really highlight his amazing speed and knack for adapting on the track. With the big race coming up in just a few weeks, we’ll have to wait and see if Brant can snag that Juvenile title and become one of the favorites for the 2026 season.