On May 3, 2025, all eyes will be focused on Bob Baffert’s two horses, Citizen Bull and Rodriguez. They are guided by a trainer who has his singular attention on his seventh Kentucky Derby title, and not to forget, a redemptive pursuit at that. To trot past the Churchill Downs’ suspension that kept the Hall of Famer at bay for three years, Baffert put his hopes on many horses. $1.1 million purchase Cornucopian, who was heavily favored to make it to the 151st Kentucky Derby but ultimately finished fourth in the G1 Arkansas Derby a month ago, has an update!

The upcoming seventh race on Sunday (April 7) will field eight horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. And Baffert-trained Corcucopian will make his third career start. A one-turn allowance, optional-claiming mile for sophomores that will see Cornucopian square off Sand Devil made the co-owner Tom Ryan particularly happy for a reason. The cutback in distance in the next one-miler will help Cornucopian adjust well before his potential Grade-1 challenges in future. The Preakness on May 17 and/or the Belmont Stakes on June 7, for instance.   

The next stop for the colt is the $2 million Preakness Stakes. Despite the colt having participated in just one Grade 1 race after his Maiden triumph at Oaklawn Park, there remains a sense of optimism regarding his form heading into the upcoming Preakness Stakes. The Paulick Report on Wednesday interviewed Ryan, and he said,

“He’s really such an exciting colt, and we’re happy to find a spot that’s suitable to his conditions. He’s shown us that he has a lot of ability, and hopefully he can show us that again… He’s a horse that has some potential lofty targets ahead, so we wanted to find the right race to entertain potentially prepping into the next Classic. I think we’d look at the Preakness first, and a trip back to New York wouldn’t be [out of the question] either.

“I think it’s a suitable trip for him to prep going forward. He has an air of quality to him that’s hard to duplicate. He’s got strength, but he’s not heavy. He’s got length, but he’s not too long. He’s got size, but he’s not too big. He’s just a beautiful horse that’s right in the middle, perfectly balanced, and he has fluency in his action. You don’t really know until you race them… His mind is good, his motion is great, and his pedigree is superior. His sire needs no introduction.”

Following this impressive debut, Cornucopian was entered in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 29, a key Kentucky Derby prep race offering qualifying points. Despite being the 7-5 morning-line favorite, he finished fourth, securing 15 qualifying points. ​With 15 points, Cornucopian did not accumulate enough to qualify for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, which admits the top 20 point earners.

Still, the co-owner exudes optimism, and only time will reveal how the Baffert-trained horse will fare, as he is already entered for an Allowance at Aqueduct on April 27. Are you aware of the jockey making a triumphant return alongside Baffert?

He may become a trump card for Bob Baffert

Citizen Bull and Rodriguez are set to take their positions on the grid in just a few days, both representing the stable of Bob Baffert. And can you believe who’s taking the reins of Citizen Bull? It’s Martin Garcia. The experienced rider, boasting over $111 million in career earnings, is making a comeback to the Kentucky Derby after a decade-long hiatus from the track.

As he prepares to ride Citizen Bull at Churchill Downs, he expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “This is a realization of aspirations. It’s the aspiration of every jockey. It’s a dream come true. It’s what every jockey wants. I’m excited to get back, most of all because I know I have a very good horse to ride.”

For an extended period, Garcia has developed a connection with Citizen Bull. He knows exactly what the horse can do, having ridden him to victory in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. The three-year-old colt has also secured the Eclipse Award for 2024 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, and the experience of riding him during this extraordinary comeback is truly remarkable.