Will Bob Baffert Take Revenge at Kentucky Derby With Upcoming Horse?

In the world of horse racing you can never count out Hall of Famer, Bob Baffert. He’s a two-time Triple Crown winner who’s made a name for himself with his record 6 wins in the Kentucky Derby, longevity in the sport and sheer consistency. Plus, you can’t miss his unique look with that white hair and sunglasses while he’s out on the track. But, as you might know, Baffert has also attracted a fair amount of controversy during his decades in the sport.

Back in 2021, his horse Medina Spirit, took home the win at the Kentucky Derby. However, things took an unexpected turn when he was disqualified after failing a post-race drug test for the steroid betamethasone. So, Baffert ended up with a three-year suspension from Churchill Downs, and it wasn’t until July 2024 that it got lifted, but only after he finally took responsibility for what happened. His return to Churchill Downs in 2025 was something everyone was really looking forward to. But, it didn’t turn out like the horse racing community expected.

Bob Baffert’s concerning results at the races

The Hall of Fame trainer, who used to be a powerhouse in the Derby, watched as his hopes fell apart pretty fast due to some tough circumstances. Bob Baffert entered two horses in the Kentucky Derby, but days before the race kicked off, Rodriguez, his strongest contender, had to pull out because of a bruised foot. This left only Citizen Bull to carry the flag for his stable. The remaining hope, last year’s 2-year-old champion, didn’t do so well in the muddy conditions at Churchill Downs, ending up in a distant 15th place in the field.

The Triple Crown letdowns just kept going at the Preakness Stakes, where Baffert was counting on Goal Oriented, who had been undefeated till that point. But the horse just couldn’t keep up with the favorite, Journalism, and ended up finishing in fourth place.

Baffert had one last shot at redemption at the Belmont Stakes, and guess what? Rodriguez was back in the mix for the competition. The colt started off strong, even leading for a bit during the race, but in the end, he couldn’t keep up and finished fourth, trailing behind Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza.

This wrapped up a winless Triple Crown series for Baffert, a stark contrast from his six Derby wins and two Triple Crown victories in the past. The 2025 season showed a big drop for a trainer who was once seen as unbeatable in the sport’s biggest races. However, Baffert managed to find some comfort in a few minor stakes wins, hinting that he might be in a rebuilding phase for his operation. And this was the moment when his potential next big colt really started to come into play.

The next big horse for the Hall of Fame trainer

About a year back, Citizen Bull was unable to grab a Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity win for Bob Baffert. So, the horse ended up winning three races in just two, and later on, it was also named the 2024 2-year-old champion. So, as we rolled into 2025, there was a ton of buzz about how this Baffert-trained colt was going to dominate the competition at the Kentucky Derby. However, those predictions died down after Sovereignty and Journalism effectively made it a two-horse race.

It seems like we might be seeing a similar situation play out, but this time it could actually work out for Baffert. Brant, a $3 million Gun Runner colt from Zedan Racing Stables, has put himself on the map with a strong win at the Del Mar Futurity on September 7, 2025. Even though there was a bit of a tense moment during the break when he bumped into a rival, Brant came through with jockey Flavien Prat in the saddle. He quickly took the lead and managed to fend off a strong challenge from his stablemate Desert Gate, winning by a length in 1:21.92.

Bob Baffert secured his 19th win in the Futurity, marking his fifth win in a row for this race. Quite the achievement! By champion sire Gun Runner and out of the Liam’s Map mare Tynan, Brant was the top-priced ($3 million) purchase at the 2025 OBS March 2-Year-Old Sale. His first win by 5 1/4 lengths and that Futurity victory—both at Del Mar—really show off his incredible speed and ability to adapt on the track.

The Futurity is included in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen series, which gives Brant a $30,000 credit for the G1 Juvenile. So, Brant is now a prime contender for the Juvenile at Del Mar on October 31. If he keeps this momentum going like Citizen Bull did last year, who knows? Brant could be the next big thing and a potential contender for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, bringing that glory back to the Hall of Fame trainer.