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

Bob Baffert was really looking forward to getting back into the Triple Crown scene in 2025 after being away for three years. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, and his campaign in all three classic races turned out to be pretty rough.

The concerning downfall of Bob Baffert

The Hall of Fame trainer, who used to be a powerhouse in these events, watched as his hopes fell apart pretty fast due to some tough situations. Bob Baffert put two horses in the Kentucky Derby, but things started to look less promising for him even before the race kicked off. Rodriguez, who was seen as a strong contender, had to pull out just days before the event 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 letdown just kept going at the Preakness Stakes, where Baffert was really counting on Goal Oriented, who was undefeated at 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.

Syndication: The Courier-Journal Trainer Bob Baffert watches race 10 near the chute to the track as he waits for the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. He has Citizen Bull in the Derby, his first time back at Churchill Downs in three years. May 3, 2025 Louisville , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMattxStone/CourierxJournalx USATSI_26083440

This wrapped up a winless Triple Crown series for Baffert, which is quite a change from his six Derby wins and two Triple Crown victories in the past. The 2025 season really 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 didn’t manage to grab a Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity 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, conversations eventually died down after Sovereignty and Journalism showcased their talents.

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, really made a name for himself with a strong win in the Grade 1 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 really showed his professionalism with jockey Flavien Prat. 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.

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