To say Bob Baffert’s season has been a rough ride so far may be an understatement. The 72-year-old’s grand comeback after a two-year ban began falling apart even before his horses could line up for the race. Rodriguez bowed out due to a last-moment leg injury, while Citizen Bull faded despite a strong start. Since then, he’s been chasing big wins only to come up short. However, things are finally looking up.
After yet another disappointing loss at the G1 Haskell Stakes against 2025 Preakness champion Journalism, Baffert won big at Del Mar. With a history of winning at the venue, Baffert maintained his form as not one but two debutants won at Del Mar, California. Among the two was a highly touted two-year-old Gun Runner colt, Brant, who won his Maiden Weight Special.
What a debut it was! “This horse is going to join a very small, select group of horses that won with 100+ Beyer on debut,” said FanDuel analyst Dubbs Anderson. Now those impressive Beyer Speed figures have earned the record-setting $3 million purchase at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale, another small win. This time, it’s his Ragozin Sheets number, which stands at an impressive six.
“#2YOFigOfTheWeek, brought to you by @spendthriftfarm stallion VEKOMA, is @DelMarRacing Debut MdSpWt winner, BRANT!” The Ragozin Sheets page posted on X. The much-hyped 2-year-old’s latest achievement has landed the horse in the spotlight this week. Since the lower the figure, the better, Brant’s 6-point rating shows why Baffert talked about this horse for months.
#2YOFigOfTheWeek, brought to you by @spendthriftfarm stallion VEKOMA, is @DelMarRacing Debut MdSpWt winner, BRANT!
by @benoitphoto_ pic.twitter.com/YJYN5Ix7ms
— Ragozin Sheets (@RagozinSheets) July 30, 2025
However, Brant wasn’t the only big winner under Baffert’s care at Del Mar. Nysos also breezed to a dominant win at the San Diego Handicap (G2). What’s more? Bob Baffert recently came off a 15-month layoff in May, and this was his first time running the San Diego Handicap. Thanks to his recent success, the 72-year-old will push hard to keep the momentum alive.
What’s next for Bob Baffert?
With the Haskell Stakes defeat and Del Mar success behind him, Bob Baffert has set his sights on the Travers Stakes. While he was busy supervising Brant and Nysos at Del Mar, the legendary trainer was also keeping an eye on the G2 Jim Dandy. After all, this year’s Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, Sovereignty, started his summer campaign with the Jim Dandy.
Widely regarded as the preparatory race for the famous Travers Stakes, aka the Midsummer Derby, the 72-year-old kept an eye on the field. “I am going to watch the (GII) Jim Dandy (at Saratoga Saturday). I’ll figure out a lot after that,” Bob Baffert said about the upcoming race. However, he has shortlisted two horses from his stable for the upcoming race.
Credits – X/BobBaffert
“That is the plan … today,” Baffert told TDN about entering Goal Oriented for the Travers Stakes. Then again, it’s not final because he also said, “It changes every week,” and is also looking at the Los Alamitos Derby winner, Nevada Beach. Despite losing the Haskell Stakes to Journalism, Goal Oriented is in racing form, and the veteran trainer believes he’s only getting better.
So what about his Del Mar winners? Well, Bob Baffert is preparing Nysos for a run at the year’s final and one of the most prestigious titles, the Breeders’ Cup. Nysos already proved his prowess over a mile and a sixteenth at the SDH. The horse is gearing up to run 1 1/4 miles at the $1 million FanDuel Pacific Classic Stakes on August 30, 2025. Now, only time will tell if Baffert can end the season with a bang.
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