Bob Baffert’s horse racing legacy: Unbridled success and swirling controversy

There’s no doubting the impact that Bob Baffert has had on horse racing in a career that has spanned over four decades. However, his name has also been involved with some controversial instances in recent years. We’ll take a closer look at Baffert’s body of work as we approach the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

Bob Baffert trained horses that have won over 3,350 races, which has amounted to over $351 million in earnings. These remarkable figures were captured by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, to which Baffert was inducted in 2009.

Die-hard and casual horse racing fans alike know that three races are the jewel of the sport each season: The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes. Baffert’s horses have won 17 Triple Crown races, which is the most for any trainer in horse racing history.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

American Pharoah won all three races back in 2015, giving Baffert the first Triple Crown of his career, and the first in the sport since all the way back in 1978.

American Pharoah owner Ahmed Zayat gave Baffert his flowers after the triumph. “It takes a special trainer. It takes a special team. And I want to salute him and thank him, I’m grateful to Bob for giving us this proud moment for my family and everybody,” he told the New York Post.

Three years later, another Baffert-trained horse completed the trifecta. Justify made history with jockey Mike Smith on his back.

The New York Post wrote this about the profession after Baffert’s 2015 Triple Crown victory: “There are no off-days. The business does not have an offseason. It can be difficult to maintain a family life with that constant grind.”

In a GQ article, Bill Nack wrote, “No one…has more manifest gifts as a horse whisperer…Baffert has emerged as a white-maned wizard of the turf, with a singular feel for horses and an instinct for divining how to make them run long, hard and fast.”

Classic Thoroughbred Pedigree’s website had this to say: “Baffert does not make the mistake of bringing a short horse into a Derby prep race. His training methods ensure that his horse is 100% physically prepared to meet the specific demands of each race.”

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Despite all of the glowing results Baffert has experienced in his career, he has also been front and center in some controversy. In 2021, Baffert was suspended from Churchill Downs (where the Kentucky Derby is hosted) after a horse he trained tested positive for a banned substance. This was revealed after Medina Spirit won the 2021 derby.

After the incident, Baffert told The Athletic, “I have been open, honest and forthcoming. I have acknowledged that our treatment led to the positive and I have fully informed the Kentucky Racing Commission. I believe the rules permit the use of Otomax and I have asked the racing commission to review those rules and apply them to the facts.”

Baffert was suspended by Churchill Downs after the event, and Churchill Downs elected to extend his suspension through at least 2024, meaning that he or a horse that he trains cannot participate in the Kentucky Derby.

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, Baffert and his new team (Zedan Racing) have pushed to get the suspension overturned. Baffert trained a colt named Muth to an Arkansas Derby victory in 2024, and the team hoped he could participate at Churchill Downs. However, the Omaha World Herald reported that a judge upheld Baffert’s suspension.

The judge also told Amr Zedan, the owner of Zedan Racing, that he knew Baffert was suspended, and should have transferred Muth over to a different trainer so that he could be eligible for the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert said in court in 2023, “They’ve hurt my reputation. My horses should’ve made much more money. I didn’t run for 90 days, and I had to let people go.” AP News reported the statement, and also wrote that Churchill Downs extended Baffert’s discipline because they have nine failed drug tests from Baffert-trained horses.

It’s going to be interesting to see how long Baffert’s ban will last at Churchill Downs. Now in his early seventies, Baffert may have to wait a while longer for his next chance to win the Triple Crown.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!