In just under 48 hours, the Kentucky Derby is set to kick off at Churchill Downs, and there are plenty of well-known trainers getting in on the action. It’s meant to be a redemption race for one Bob Baffert but things just got a whole lot trickier. So, if you’re checking out the updates, you should know that one of Baffert’s horses got scratched from the Derby. Yes, we’re talking about Rodriguez. After being Baffert’s best bet at the title, Rodriguez was unfortunately ruled out of contention just hours before the race is set to kick off.

It’s a big disappointment for the trainer who once said, “I very much look forward to returning to Churchill Downs and getting back to the Winner’s Circle.” It seemed like Baffert had a good shot with two horses, especially when it comes to taking on the Derby favorite –  Journalism trained by Michael McCarthy. The colt really shot to fame and became a fan favorite after racking up an impressive string of wins, taking home the prize in 4 out of 5 races throughout his career. Time will reveal how Journalism will do, but his trainer has a pretty interesting story to tell.

Baffert is on the hunt for redemption, and that really drives his desire to snag that victory. McCarthy feels something pretty similar, too. In an interview with CBS Evening News, McCarthy shared, “There’s a whole gamut of emotions. You know, you’re upset that, you know, your community is called through this. You’re angry that, you know, maybe some of this could have been avoided. It’s been a few months now. Um, people are still healing. People are still without a place to live. So maybe for a couple hours on Saturday, we can provide them a little bit of entertainment.”

Allow me to provide some background. The trainer was really affected by the Eaton Fire that happened in Altadena, California, back in January 2025. The wildfire got really close to his home, just 600 feet away, which led to some smoke damage and made his family pack up and head to a hotel. McCarthy stayed close by, keeping an eye on his property while everything was going on around him. Even though he faced his own losses, he really felt for his neighbors who lost their homes completely. He shared a blend of anger and sadness about the destruction they all experienced.

Amid all this chaos, McCarthy kept on training Journalism, seeing the horse’s success as a possible beacon of hope and a way to take his fire-stricken community’s mind off things. If Journalism can come through on May 3, it’ll be a big win not just for his trainer but for everyone in the community impacted by the Eaton Fire. McCarthy is all fired up for the Derby day coming up! So, besides Journalism going after that G1 win, what did Baffert have to say about Rodriguez being scratched from the Derby?

An important update from Bob Baffert

Before the G1 race on Saturday, there was a ton of buzz about Rodriguez. What’s the reason for that? So, Bob Baffert, his trainer, is really going for a big comeback, and having two horses in the Kentucky Derby definitely gives him a better shot at winning. What’s up with the scratch?

“…he had a little foot issue right after I breezed him. It’s just one of those things where it’s still a little sensitive and he’s going to need a few more days. You have to be perfect if you’re going to win the Derby. You got to be 100% perfect,” the 72-year-old trainer said as he shared the details about Rodriguez. Running a horse that might be injured is something nobody wants to do. It’s going to be a total mess.

Baffert is looking to avoid any more trouble with his reputation. Also, there’s a big risk in running Rodriguez when he’s not in good shape, and honestly, if he’s not at his best, there’s really no reason to enter a race like the Kentucky Derby.