The Breeders’ Cup is approaching, and all horse racing fans in the US are waiting eagerly to see Bob Baffert back at the premier event. The Hall of Fame trainer hasn’t had much success in 2025, but considering how Baffert views the upcoming competition as the “All-Star game of horse racing,” he will certainly prefer to boost his chances to make amends for a poor season. Ahead of the big rumble, the 72-year-old just got a major kick to the system.

A post by Equibase on X from October 18 shared how the 17-time Triple Crown race winner made the earth shake with his success at Keeneland Racing on Saturday. “BARNES, a $3.2 million yearling purchase named after Bob Baffert’s longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, romps by 8 1/4 lengths in the G3 Perryville Stakes at @keenelandracing with @jose93_ortiz aboard!” the social media update highlights the sonorous victory the Bob Baffert-trained colt picked up. But the son of Into Mischief is used to picking up emphatic wins.

Back in January, the 3-year-old horse bagged a 5 1/2 lengths win at the San Vicente Stakes (G2) back in January. On Saturday, Baffert’s horse posted 1:23.45 at the 7-furlong race. As the gates opened, Barnes started a step late than the others, but jockey, Jose Ortiz, was quick to get to work. Dale Romans’ Taylor’s Version set the pace early, reaching the quarter-mile mark in :21.69. But Baffert’s flag bearers kept hounding the pack leader as both horses reached the half-way pole: 44.18. Barnes, the 8-5 choice, went wide and by the three-quarter mile marker, steamed ahead.

From there, there was no catching him. “He (Bob Baffert) wanted me to break out of there very aggressive and put him forward. The horse helped me, and I did just that. He finished the race running. I was very happy with the performance. He was ready today,” Ortiz said after securing his place in the winner’s circle of the $350,000 race, about how he and the trainer had strategized the run.

But while Baffert might be smiling broadly by the big win, the triumphant jockey will be just as elated. Only recently, news came to light that the Puerto Rican will replace Umberto Rispoli to ride the 2025 Preakness Stakes and Haskell Stakes winner Journalism for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. With today’s victory, Ortiz proved to himself that he’s just as capable of winning a race even when starting slowly.

On the other hand, Baffert’s problems are hardly over before the Breeders’ Cup arrives. While the Keeneland Racing turned out to be bountiful for the trainer, Del Mar will be a very different story altogether.

Bob Baffert will have his work cut out for him

Baffert has entered both the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with multiple horses. Goes without saying that the Classic will be the tougher challenge between the two. The November 1 race will feature both Journalism and Sovereignty (the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner). While fans will wait with bated breath to see the next chapter of the rivalry between the country’s top two horses, it will make things all the more difficult for Baffert and the other trainers.

Moreover, names like Baeza (Pennsylvania Derby winner), Mystik Dan (the 2024 Derby winner), Fierceness (2025 Pacific Classic Stakes winner), and Sierra Leone (the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner) only add more depth to the field. In comparison, Bob Baffert’s Nevada Beach looks like the underdog without even having to try. On the other hand, Nysos, Citizen Bull, and Goal Oriented will make the Dirt Mile look like the more feasible race for Baffert to secure a win at Del Mar.

2025 has been anything to cry home about for the two-time Triple Crown winning trainer. While occasional victories have come from time to time, they have hardly been a true representation to Baffert’s legacy. But can the seasoned trainer tap into his reserves and end the year on a high note by making his presence felt at the Breeders’ Cup? What do you reckon?