After coming back from a three-year suspension at Churchill Downs because of the Medina Spirit situation, Bob Baffert was ready to hit the comeback trail with a lot of optimism. He had two contenders for the Derby: Citizen Bull and Rodriguez. So, it turns out Rodriguez had to sit out at the last minute because of a foot bruise, and Citizen Bull ended up in 15th place at the Kentucky Derby. It was a bit of a letdown since he was considered one of the top juveniles last year. He headed to the Preakness with Goal Oriented, but unfortunately, they didn’t quite make it, ending up in fourth place.

Fortunately, the trainer did not give up hope entirely. Rodriguez was all set to go for the Belmont Stakes. In the meantime, Baffert’s other horses, like Nysos, have been doing pretty well in races outside of the Triple Crown—like those exciting events at Santa Anita over the weekend.

So, at the Belmont Stakes on June 7, Rodriguez came in a solid fourth place, trailing behind the horses Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza. In the end, Baffert’s Triple Crown campaign turned out to be a total disaster. But you know, this tough season could also mean he ends up sharing one of his records.

On X, announcer John G. Dooley shared some details, stating, “Trainer @bradcoxracing with a chance to equal Bob Baffert (2009-10, 2013, 2016) with the Most #INDerby wins @HSIndyRacing with four. Cox & Crew with victories in 2020, 2023-24. Trains INSTANT REPLAY (Maximum Security), who finished 3rd in the @TwinSpires Louisiana Derby, before going back-to-back @OaklawnRacing (Bathhouse Row) and @lonestarpark (Texas Derby). The 2025 G.3 Indiana Derby (6:33pm) carded as the 12th of 13 races this Saturday.”

Bob Baffert has been the go-to trainer in the Indiana Derby for quite a while now. He snagged four titles back in 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016, and no one else has come close to that. He really set the bar high for excellence at Horseshoe Indianapolis. So, it looks like Brad Cox is currently going after this record. And Instant Replay, owned by Wathnan Racing, is the perfect horse for the job.

Prior to this race, he finished third in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. Then, he won back-to-back major stakes races at Oaklawn’s Bathhouse Row and Lone Star’s Texas Derby, demonstrating her form and versatility. Even though Baffert’s Triple Crown showcase didn’t quite hit the mark this year, he’s already gearing up for the next big race on the calendar.

Bob Baffert is keeping up his aim high

Bob Baffert is prepping Nysos for the Breeders’ Cup. The trainer mentioned that for his four-year-old racehorse, “The main thing is to have him ready for the Breeders’ Cup.” There was another race coming up where Nysos was set to tackle some real challenges, kind of like a warm-up before the Breeders’ Cup later this season. For sure, there’s plenty of time since it’s happening from Friday, Oct 31, to Saturday, Nov 1.

Indeed, it was the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes. So, it looks like the trainer has chosen to sit this race out, but the colt will be back for the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 26.

Last time out, Nysos 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 ended up coming in behind the winner. With a solid track record in his career, Baffert’s main focus is getting him prepped for the Breeders’ Cup. And with a little bit of luck by his side, the trainer might just grab a major victory this year.