Bob Baffert has seen plenty of champions cross the finish line, but even he knows not every race goes as planned. On Saturday at Santa Anita, Baffert watched Desert Gate, his highly regarded 2-year-old colt, lead much of the American Pharoah Stakes only to be narrowly overtaken by Intrepido at the finish. Desert Gate, whose career began this year and currently boasts a record of 4 starts, 2 wins, and 2 places with earnings of $246,000, was widely expected to win, but the result didn’t go as many had anticipated. Still, Baffert remained optimistic, sharing his thoughts on the young colt’s performance.

Well, just recently, @trifectabox shared a post on X highlighting Bob Baffert’s comments on Desert Gate: “He was really tired. I think he needed that race. He came back well but was exhausted. We’ll see how he’s doing next week, but he’s still possible for the Breeders’ Cup. He’s a better horse than that.” Desert Gate has had an impressive 2-year-old season, breaking his maiden at Santa Anita by 2¼ lengths on June 13, capturing the G3 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar by  3/4 lengths on August 9, and finishing second to Bob Baffert’s other promising colt, Brant, in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), despite stumbling at the start and being squeezed early.

Had Desert Gate won this year’s American Pharoah Stakes, the automatic berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) would have been his. Instead, that honor went to Intrepido. The American Pharaoh Stakes is one of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series; it also gives the points of the top five finishers to the Kentucky Derby (10-5-3-2-1). The second-place performance of Desert Gate implies that he has not won the automatic position, but the colt is a solid contender according to his earnings in graded stakes and record performance during the year.

Although the route is now different, Desert Gate can still qualify for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  Officials of the Breeders’ Cup may issue at-large invitations to the best 2-year-olds in case there are any vacancies, and the results of Desert Gate qualify him to receive the invitation.

Also, he might race in other prep races prior to the Juvenile on October 31, 2025, at Del Mar to further enhance his argument, but the schedule is very tight.  Desert Gate is a horse to be followed to the Breeders’ Cup when Baffert has confidence in the horse, and the colt has proven that he is worth following. Bob Baffert, in the meantime, has several horses that have already won their places in the Breeders’ Cup.

Bob Baffert’s stars secure Breeders’ Cup berths across multiple divisions

Several horses of Bob Baffert’s have secured spots in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar. Brant, a promising 2-year-old colt, earned an automatic berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) by winning the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on September 7. And then, we have Explora.

In her maiden effort, on her second turn, Explora finally ranked herself in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) by winning the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes in Santa Anita in a commanding 4 1/4-length runaway on October 4.

At the Distaff department, Seismic Beauty won the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on August 2 in a decisive gate-to-wire effort that won her a first-place ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Even after the win, Bob Baffert said, “That wasn’t an easy lead, they were rolling. She’s a big filly. She looks like she’s going easy but they were going fast. She is just getting better and better. She is still maturing but I think she’ll improve off of that.”

Meanwhile, Imagination secured an automatic spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) after winning the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on the 28th of September. Through these performances, Bob Baffert already has several horses that are established in major divisions in the divisions which will allow the stable a high chance of success in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup.