Perhaps because we haven’t seen Bob Baffert in a while, he appears a bit thinner to me. At least not in person. His 72-year-old visage has a few more wrinkles, but his trademark shock of white hair and ubiquitous sunglasses are still there. Bob has returned, in case you haven’t heard. Horse racing’s most well-known and controversial trainer is returning to Churchill Downs for the 151st running of America’s most prestigious race after being suspended for three years for disqualifying his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit due to a positive test for a trace amount of the corticosteroid betamethasone. In fact, last November, Baffert returned to Churchill to witness the victory of his horse Barnes in a race and to also tour the new paddock.
Four months had passed since he ultimately put an end to his legal battle against the track over the 2021 DQ and CDI’s decision to lift its Baffert ban, which had escalated from a professional to a personal one. In what ways did the two sides patch things up? During his first encounter with reporters outside his former residence at Barn No. 33 on Friday, Baffert declared, “That’s a big secret.” Yes, the humor is still present. And that silly smile. Baffert joked, “I wish I had a challenge flag,” after his 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull drew the kiss-of-death No. 1 post position for Kentucky Derby 151 on Saturday night. I would have thrown it if I had it. Personally, I’m happy that Bob is back. I still support Baffert.
Churchill was correct to discipline the trainer for his frequent infractions. Rather than keeping the subject in the news with a protracted legal battle, Baffert would have been better off accepting the punishment and moving on. Nevertheless, Baffert has attracted a lot of non-racing fans to the sport as the trainer of two Triple Crown champions and the winner of six Kentucky Derbys, tying Ben Jones. Since that Kentucky Derby in 2021, his safety record has been almost perfect. He has successfully ridden horses from Santa Anita to Saratoga, coast to coast. He is by no means the only extremely successful trainer to receive a warning, a fine, or a suspension due to medical infractions. Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Chad Brown, and Todd Pletcher are on that list. It’s just that Baffert’s profile is the highest.
He claims he no longer harbors resentment, that he has moved on, doesn’t look back, and is simply happy to be back in a place where horse racing is given such respect. Following Saturday’s draw, Baffert remarked, “Everyone has been really nice to me.” “I’m glad to be back, and they say they’re glad to see me.” However, I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say that Baffert is still hurt by what happened. He must be. After his Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez worked at Churchill on Sunday, he declined invitations to speak with the media. On Monday, he spoke briefly after Citizen Bull finished a 5-furlong run. He seems a little more reluctant to do so now. On Monday morning, Radar Online published a piece referring to Baffert as a “drugger.” To the casual race fan, ones who don’t regularly follow the sport, and especially in these days of social media, that’s a difficult rep to completely shake.
Do you represent racing? “I’m clickbait,” Baffert remarked, laughing a little. “That’s who I am now.” On Saturday, neither of his horses will be given preference. The Santa Anita Derby saw Citizen Bull finish in a disappointing fourth place. Baffert acknowledges that in order to avoid Journalism, the presumed Derby favorite, he shipped Rodriguez to New York for the Wood Memorial. Baffert praised the Santa Anita Derby winner and his trainer, saying, “He’s a good horse and Mike McCarthy has done a tremendous job getting him ready.” “He ought to be the favorite in the Derby.” What, therefore, did Baffert do during the three Derby days when he was prohibited from competing? He claimed to have attended a few Derby parties before throwing his own party at his house last year.
Did watching it on TV cause any pain? “Nope,” he replied. “I will always cherish my best memories of the Kentucky Derby.” He still has aspirations of creating another.
