Bob Baffert is back, and he’s a man on a mission. The six-time Kentucky Derby winner wants to prove that he’s not lost a beat in the three years he was barred from racing after Medina Spirit’s 2021 medication violation. But with just two days to the first leg of the Triple Crown, the legendary trainer received a major setback as his Grade 2 Wood Memorial winner, Rodriguez, had to be scratched from the derby due to a foot bruise. A big blow, no doubt. However, this is Bob Baffert we are talking about.

The 72-year-old made quite the splash at Churchill Downs on Thurby evening as the 5-year-old son of Tapit gave him a lot to brag about. That’s because Fort Bragg put Baffert on the podium at the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes amidst Rodriguez’s bad news. And while losing Rodriguez, one of the favorites of the Derby, was not on Baffert’s bingo card, winning the $200,000 gave the trainer something to smile about.

The six-time Kentucky Derby winner didn’t hide the fact that he was pleased. After all, Fort Bragg gave the 72-year-old his first win at Churchill Downs since 2021. “We brought some nice horses here to win on the undercard. That’s what I miss most about Churchill: I miss the undercard races,” Bob Baffert said as per Blood Horse.

“They’re so great. It’s good to start out with a win,” added the trainer, glad to register a win ahead of Saturday’s main event. Ridden by jockey Juan Hernandez, Fort Bragg was initially third behind Champlin and Speed Boat Beach. In fact, Champlin had had quick stretches of :21:10 and :43:67, but ultimately was worn down for a 1 1/2-length win by Baffert’s trainee, with Happy Is a Choice finishing third. And guess what? Fort Bragg winning the race also gave Rodriguez’s owners something to cheer about. Why, you ask?

Well, that’s because some of the owners of Rodriguez—SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan—also own Fort Bragg, who had come second in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile in 2023. It was because of his familiarity with the track and the maturity he had developed with age that convinced Bob Baffert to race him on Thursday. “He likes this track. I figured it was a good place to bring him back.” Bob Baffert said, as per DRF. But as big as Fort Bragg’s win was, Rodriguez getting scratched is still a huge blow.

A wrench in the works for Bob Baffert

SF Racing head Tom Ryan became the bearer of bad news. Ryan revealed he spotted a bruise in the inside quarter of Rodriguez’s right front foot. “It was very minimal,” added the head of SF Racing. “It’s something that had a little sting in it. The quarters or bruises will have a little sensitivity. We really felt he was going the right way. It’s unfortunate, it’s bad timing,” he added.

Yet, in settings where all that separates first place from the rest often comes down to millimeters, something “minimal” becomes a huge deal. So while Rodríguez galloped at Churchill Downs on Thursday, he won’t race on Saturday. Bob Baffert reiterated this point while speaking about the unfortunate situation. “It’s still sinking in,” Baffert told the media.

“I was really looking forward to running him in the Derby. You have to be just perfect. If you’re gonna win this thing, you got to be perfect.” added the six-time Derby winner. Needless to say, this is a significant blow to the 72-year-old chasing history. Just one more Kentucky Derby title would elevate Baffert beyond fellow six-time winner Ben Jones.

But Rodriguez’s exit complicates things. Citizen Bull isn’t coming into the Kentucky Derby with the best odds. The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner finished 4th in the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5. Meanwhile, Journalism, who took the title in Santa Anita, remains the favorite at this year’s Kentucky Derby.