Bob Baffert, the Hall of Fame trainer, stirred up some chatter in the horse racing community when he decided to pass on the $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga with his colt, Goal Oriented.

At first, Baffert was leaning towards the “Mid-Summer Derby,” but after the horse’s last workout at Del Mar, he changed his mind, saying, “He breezed nice, but not to my standards. I decided I wanted to wait. I thought it was a little too much coming back. [The Travers] is a very tough race. A mile and a quarter can be tough on them.”

Baffert is taking a more cautious route here, focusing on the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on September 20 instead. However, as reported by Horse Racing Nation, Bob Baffert’s Saratoga strategy was revealed not in the Travers, but in the $500k H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, where he entered a formidable three-horse squadron aimed at capturing the seven-furlong sprint.

His trio is comprised of the undefeated Midland Money, the resurgent Barnes, and the consistently placed Madaket Road. Midland Money, which is owned by Edward Childs, is doing great with a perfect record of two wins in two races. The latest win was a smooth 3 1/4-length allowance victory at Saratoga on August 3rd. He’s got Barnes with him, a yearling that cost $3.2 million and is named after Baffert’s longtime assistant, Jimmy Barnes. He had a great win in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, but then things didn’t go so well in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. That led to a 4 1/2-month break, but he made a successful comeback to sprinting.

This bold, multi-faceted approach to the Jerkens, instead of just a single shot in the Travers, really shows off Baffert’s flexible training style. Baffert decided to skip the Travers with Goal Oriented to focus on his development, and instead, he brought out a trio of talented sprinters.

This move really shows how well he knows where to place his horses for the best chance at success and value. Even in a quieter Saratoga season, his strategic skills are still on point. But, during this tough season, Baffert has run into another big challenge.

Bob Baffert tumbled down the leaderboard

The 2025 horse racing season has brought some tough times for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, making it a frustrating chapter in his otherwise impressive career. The trainer’s Triple Crown performances really stood out, especially when you think about how Baffert used to dominate those classic races. It’s clear there’s been a noticeable decline for the trainer this season, which has been more about near-misses and setbacks instead of big wins.

This tough season has really shown in Baffert’s standing in the TRC Global Trainers Rankings. He’s now in fourth place with 2,411 points, which means he’s not on the podium this time around. Right now, he’s behind Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien, who’s way out in front with 3,574 points. Then there’s America’s Chad Brown in second place with 2,707 points, and Britain’s Charlie Appleby sitting in third with 2,663 points.

Baffert’s fourth-place standing really reflects the challenges he’s faced in the big races this season. His horses have been competitive, but they just haven’t had that extra edge to clinch the major wins, which means he didn’t have a true classic contender in 2025. But hey, the season’s still going, and you never know—he could snag some big wins in the upcoming months!