Bob Baffert is back at the Kentucky Derby in 2025 and looking to break the record he broke and then had revoked.
The decorated horse trainer had his three-year suspension lifted by Churchill Downs Incorporated last July and Saturday will be his first “Run for the Roses” since 2021, when Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was disqualified after failing a post-race drug test. The Baffert-trained horse later died of a heart attack after a workout in December 2021.
Baffert initially denied any wrongdoing and appealed the suspension through a lawsuit, and Churchill Downs officials extended the suspension another year. But Baffert eventually accepted responsibility for the traces of betamethasone found in Medina Spirit after the 2021 Kentucky Derby in a statement released last year in conjunction with the end of his suspension. That paved the way for Baffert to have two horses in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby this year.
Though neither are considered favorites to win, Baffert’s return to the race he has still won six times before will overshadow the horses leading into post time Churchill Downs. His reputation and legacy are more complicated now, but he simply sounds relieved to be there again.
“Everyone’s been really nice to me,” Baffert said, according to Reuters. “They say they are happy to see me, and I’m happy to be back.”
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Here’s more on Baffert, why he was suspended from the Kentucky Derby and what to expect from his return to Churchill Downs for the 2025 Run for the Roses:
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Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby suspension, explained
Nobody has trained more Triple Crown race winners than Baffert and he has trained two Triple Crown winners ‒ American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. Baffert is also tied with Ben Jones for the most wins by a trainer at the Kentucky Derby, and briefly had that record to himself when Medina Spirit crossed the finish line first in 2021.
But the horse tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone in a post-race drug test, becoming the highest-profile horse doping case within the sport. It was also not the first failed drug test involving a Baffert-trained horse for various reasons. Medina Spirit’s violation was later confirmed after a second positive test.
Medina Spirit was disqualified and Churchill Downs, Incorporated handed Baffert a two-year suspension. It was just the second winner in the Kentucky Derby’s history to be tarnished by a drug-related disqualification.
Baffert vehemently denied he gave Medina Spirit the steroid and alleged contamination or tampering. He filed an appeal with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and a lawsuit against Churchill Downs in February 2022 hoping to overturn the suspension. But Churchill Downs officials ultimately extended Baffert’s suspension because of his continued efforts to discredit the positive test.
“Mr. Baffert continues to peddle a false narrative concerning the failed drug test of Medina Spirit at the 147th Kentucky Derby from which his horse was disqualified by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in accordance with Kentucky law and regulations,” Churchill Downs said in a statement in July 2023 announcing the extension of Baffert’s suspension.
“Prior to that race, Mr. Baffert signed an agreement with Churchill Downs which stated that he was responsible for understanding the rules of racing in Kentucky and that he would abide by them. The results of the tests clearly show that he did not comply, and his ongoing conduct reveals his continued disregard for the rules and regulations that ensure horse and jockey safety, as well as the integrity and fairness of the races conducted at our facilities.”
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission denied Baffert’s appeal in August 2023. Baffert wrote on social media in January 2024 he instructed attorneys to drop his appeal related to the disqualification of Medina Spirit.
Churchill Downs then announced in July 2024 that Baffert’s suspension had been lifted because “we are satisfied that Mr. Baffert has taken responsibility for his actions, completed a substantial penalty and is committed to running in full compliance with the rules and regulations going forward,” Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen said via a news release.
Baffert said in his own statement he was “responsible for any substance found in the horses that I train, and I have paid a very steep price with a three-year suspension and the disqualification of Medina Spirit’s performance.”
Bob Baffert suspension: What is betamethasone?
Betamethasone is a steroid used therapeutically to reduce inflammation in a horse’s joints. It is not considered a performance-enhancing drug. But the state of Kentucky limits the use of betamethasone to 14 days or more before a race, so the drug clears a horse’s system.
Bob Baffert Kentucky Derby horses 2025
There are two horses trained by Bob Baffert entered in the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Rodriguez has the best odds (9-1), according to the Kentucky Derby’s official website. He will feature 58-year-old jockey Mike Smith, who was with Baffert and Justify during their Triple Crown run in 2018.
Citizen Bull (16-1 odds) is the other Baffert-trained horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field. He won the Eclipse Award as the top 2-year-old in 2024, but drew a poor post position (No. 1) in Saturday’s race.
How old is Bob Baffert?
Bob Baffert turned 72 years old in January 2025.
Kentucky Derby 2025: TV, streaming and where to watch
The 151st Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs is set for Saturday, May 3, 2025. The Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on NBC and USA Network. Streaming options will be available on Fubo (which offers a free trial) and Peacock.
- Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
- Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC, USA Network
- Stream: Fubo, Peacock
- Location: Churchill Downs (Louisville, Kentucky)
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