Legendary trainer Bob Baffert is back at Churchill Downs and has entered a horse in the Kentucky Derby for the first time in three years. His horse, Citizen Bull, is a 20-1 long shot to win the race on Saturday, May 3.
Why was Bob Baffert banned by Churchill Downs?
Baffert ruled the sport for 30 years, becoming its most successful trainer with a record-tying six Kentucky Derby-winning horses. His first win came with Silver Charm in 1997. He’s also won racing’s triple crown twice, in 2015 with American Pharoah and in 2018 with Justify.
However, in 2021, Baffert was banned by Churchill Downs, the most famous track in the world, after his seventh Derby winner, Medina Spirit, tested positive for a banned substance. The horse was stripped of his title and six months later died of cardiac arrest. Baffert fought the ban in court until finally accepting responsibility in July 2024. On Friday, April 25, after his first Derby training session in three years, Baffert was asked if the ban had changed him.
“In racing, you have to accept when you get beat and you have to accept when things don’t go right,” Baffert said. “And it was one of those things where, well, I can’t change it. When I don’t have any control of it, I don’t worry about it.”
Did the ban help change the sport of horse racing?
In 2021, many fans, media members and even some of Baffert’s fellow trainers believed the doping of horses was out of control. The animals were dying at an alarming rate and safety protocols were far too lax.
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The banned substance found in 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit was betamethasone, a common anti-inflammatory drug that is permissible for therapeutic use in horses, but must be out of their system on race day.
The tragedies and scandals led to the federal government’s Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which created a governing body to oversee testing and safety in 2022. Baffert’s ban by Churchill Downs, before HISA was created, may have sent the first message that no one is above the law.
Despite the oversight, in 2023, 12 horses died at Churchill Downs. A HISA investigation could not prove a link between the deaths and the track. In 2024, the number dropped to 6 horses. This year, one horse has been euthanized after an injury while training on the track.
Churchill Downs officials credit the declining numbers in part to adding more sand to the track’s surface, along with an improvement in veterinary tools to help detect injuries sooner.
Baffert’s first race upon his return ironically took place at Churchill Downs. In November 2024, he watched his horse Barnes win his maiden race. The Hall of Fame trainer shook hands with the man who handed down his ban, Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen. Now that he’s back for the Derby, what are his chances in the 151st Run for the Roses?
“The secret of me winning all those Derbies is I brought [it], I won it with the best horse, you know, and I’ve lost it with the best horse,” Baffert said. “With 20 horses, you need a lot of luck.”
How many horses does Baffert have in the field?
Baffert had two horses in the field, but late Thursday, May 1, had to scratch Rodriguez for what his team called a small but slightly sensitive foot bruise. This leaves Baffert with Citizen Bull, who hopes to break quickly from post position No. 1. If the horse can pull off the win, it would mean a record-breaking seventh Derby win for Baffert, adding a comeback for the ages to his illustrious career record.
“The Derby has always been my greatest memories and always will be, and it’s something that, without the Derby, horse racing would have a totally different look,” Baffert said. “It’s getting bigger every year.”
Of the 19 horses that will start the Derby, Saturday, May 3, the favorite is Journalism, who will go off at 3-1 or better, riding a four-race winning streak. The California-based horse has a favorable No. 8 post position that has tied for the second-most victories in the Kentucky Derby.
