“It’s a dream come true,” said Garcia. “It’s what every jockey wants.” And oh boy, it really feels like the stars are spinning backward in time this year. After chilling on the sidelines for a whole decade, Martin Garcia made his big ol’ return to the Kentucky Derby stage; like a cowboy riding back into a town he once ruled. This time, he had Citizen Bull under him, the fiery champ crowned best 2-year-old male last year, all prepped and polished by none other than Bob Baffert. For those keeping Derby score, Garcia’s danced this dance four times before, back in his 2010–2015 run, with that near-golden finish in 2015 when Dortmund took third behind the legendary American Pharoah. But now? He’s got that fire in his belly and a powerhouse between his boots.

“I’m excited to get back, most of all because I know I have a very good horse to ride,” he said. And the vibe? Pure comeback magic. And speaking of comebacks… cue the dramatic music—Bob Baffert is back too. After three whole years stuck outside Churchill Downs thanks to that high-profile suspension saga, he’s finally eligible again, tossing Citizen Bull into the mix like he never left. And just when things couldn’t get more Hollywood, Garcia pulls off a classic move from his Derby vault, straight outta the glory-days playbook, and the crowd felt that echo from a decade ago.

Ruben, the mastermind behind TV magic and all things social at @FanDuelTV and @FanDuel_Racing, jumped onto X on May 3 with some fire takes, and oh did he stir the Derby pot! He posted, “CITIZEN BULL did a 70% Bayern out of the gate. Guess who was aboard both of those. As long as people say the start doesn’t matter, he’ll keep doing this. It has been 10 years now since Bayern. And still.” Whew—now that’s a mic drop with history.

That “70% Bayern” line? That’s Kentucky Derby code for saying Citizen Bull exploded out of the gate like a cannonball with attitude, channeling the ghost of Bayern, who back in 2014 basically kickstarted a hurricane at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Yeah, that wild start, the one where Bayern cut off the field, left jaws dropped, and still somehow waltzed away with the win.

Ruben’s basically saying Citizen Bull brought that same kind of chaos, just dialed down a notch. And what really makes it spicy? The same jockey, Martin Garcia, was the pilot on both those thrill rides. So it’s not just the horse, it’s the vibe, the swagger, and a decade-long recipe for ruffling feathers at the gates. And well, even with this move, Citizen Bull couldn’t win!

Citizen Bull couldn’t win the Kentucky Derby even with that epic start!

“I very much look forward to returning to Churchill Downs and getting back to the Winner’s Circle,” Bob Baffert had said with that trademark glint in his eye, just as the gates reopened for him after that three-year Derby freeze. But plot twist; it wasn’t the fairytale finish the 72-year-old legend might’ve dreamed of. That golden shot at a seventh Derby win? Slipped right through the reins. The 2025 Kentucky Derby came and went, and the official X handle didn’t sugarcoat it: “Sovereignty wins the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.” Big cheers for the Godolphin gang, but man, bittersweet vibes for Baffert fans.

So what really went down in this muddy mayhem of a Kentucky Derby day? It was dramatic, drizzly, and full of plot flips. Out of Baffert’s Derby hopefuls, only three made it to the final cut, and by the time Rodriguez got scratched and Madaket Road opted for the Pat Day Mile, it was all on Citizen Bull to bring it home. And honestly? The dude came out the gates like thunder; strong start, solid hold. For a hot second, it looked like he might just silence the doubters and bring back that decade-old glory. But then, as the stretch loomed, things unraveled.

Meanwhile, Sovereignty was out there cooking. With Junior Alvarado steering the ship, the colt turned the slop into his personal runway and cruised past Journalism, who had been everyone’s Kentucky Derby darling, and Baeza to grab the crown. It was wild. Unexpected. Pure Derby chaos, just how Churchill Downs likes it. Sovereignty, with those modest 5-1 odds and barely a whisper of spotlight, pulled off what the favorites couldn’t. And with that, Godolphin’s barn is partying like it’s the Fourth of July, while Baffert fans? Well, they’re already eyeing 2026 with fingers crossed and hopes high.