Enthusiasts of horse racing are buzzing with anticipation for the forthcoming Kentucky Derby, and who could blame them? The first leg of the American Triple Crown is upon us, and this year, the Churchill Downs race will prominently showcase Bob Baffert. The 72-year-old has returned from his suspension, now setting his sights on achieving a remarkable seventh Kentucky Derby victory.
Nonetheless, the races leading up to the Kentucky Derby have presented a considerable challenge for Baffert’s horses. At the same time, the horse trainer is managing several horses. This time, Baffert shifted his focus to Madaket Road, who currently holds 31 points on the leaderboard.
On X, horse racing photographer J. McLaughlin Safford shared, “Madaket Road worked 5F in 1:00.80 this morning under Martin Garcia for HoF trainer Bob Baffert.” It has now been a month since Madaket Road last participated in a race. On February 23, he competed in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, securing a second-place finish.
In a prior event, he participated in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, where he achieved a commendable third-place finish. This workout demonstrated that Bob Baffert continues to have intentions for the three-year-old colt.
Madaket Road worked 5F in 1:00.80 this morning under Martin Garcia for HoF trainer Bob Baffert @santaanitapark @MadaketStables @StarlightRacing pic.twitter.com/W5V3AdGVlf
— J McLaughlin Safford (@kimo16) March 22, 2025
Madaket Road’s horse profile states that the colt is entered in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, which is contested at Gulfstream Park. With less than a week remaining until the race, conducting a workout with his colt will provide insight into its performance ahead of the event. Did you know, however, that Baffert also made his other two horses work out?
Bob Baffert is getting them ready
On X, @sdhorserace shared, “Trainer Bob Baffert worked Barnes and Gaming Monday at @santaanitapark. Barnes posted a 6-furlong bullet 1:11.8 (1/4) while Gaming fired a 5-furlong bullet in :59. (1/76). Baffert says he’ll know more next week as to where his Derby contenders will run next.” This development marks an important moment for the two horses trained by Baffert.
Recall the moment when Gaming was poised to take a chance at the Virginia Derby? Baffert shared his thoughts on his horse, saying, “It’s a mile and an eighth, one turn, we’ll give him one more crack at it. The Oaklawn race was horrendous. He didn’t get anything out of that. He’s come back and worked well. He was stuck in the one-hole in each of his last two starts and had disastrous trips. I just want to get him back on track. We know he’s a good horse.”
Despite the lackluster performances in the past, Baffert maintained his unwavering confidence in his horse. However, a last-minute change resulted in Getaway Car participating in the Virginia Derby instead of Gaming. But Getaway Car was unable to capitalize on this chance, ultimately finishing in fourth place in the race.
Perhaps this could have influenced Baffert’s decisions regarding Barnes and Gaming. At Santa Anita Park, the two horses underwent their workout session. Despite covering different distances, both horses demonstrated impressive pacing abilities. And only time will reveal Baffert’s intentions for them.
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