It seems like Bob Baffert just can’t catch a break. After finally making it back to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby after serving his 3 year suspension, Baffert was raring to go with two horses lined up for the race. One of whom (Rodriguez) even looked like a strong contender to win the whole thing. But then Rodriguez had to deal with a last-minute scratch because of a foot injury, while his other horse, Citizen Bull ended the race in the 15th place. But the trainer was still holding out hope for Rodriguez to compete in the Preakness Stakes. So, here’s the thing: Baffert is dealing with a similar situation in the upcoming $2 million purse race as well.

It looks like Rodriguez isn’t going to race, which means Baffert is left with just Goal Oriented. But things get tricky as more rivals come into the picture. On X, Racing Dudes announced that Sandman is set to run in the Preakness Stakes, quoting trainer Mark Casse: “I always quote Allen Jerkens, ‘Run ‘em when they’re good,’ and he’s good right now. We were planning on waiting for the Belmont, but a lot of things can happen in between. He’s telling us he’s happy so we’re going to go with it.”

It really couldn’t come at a worse time for Bob Baffert.

With Rodriguez out, he’s missing one of his key players for a Preakness field that’s shaping up to be even tougher now that Sandman is coming in at peak form. It’s a difficult turn of events that really highlights how fast things can change during the Triple Crown season — and it has Baffert racing to rethink his plans at such an important time in the racing calendar. So what’s the story behind Sandman?

Bob Baffert has a tough rival in the race

With Mark Casse at the helm, Sandman has had quite the journey, racking up 9 starts that include 3 wins, 1 second-place finish, and 2 third-place finishes, bringing in more than $1.25 million. He really made a mark by winning the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in March 2025, showing that he could be a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby.

So, right from the get-go, Sandman ran into some trouble when he bumped into a rival, which set him back in the field. Even with that, he pulled off a big comeback to end up in seventh place. Casse mentioned that the colt was having a bit of trouble with the track at first, and that really impacted how he performed.

At first, the idea was to target Sandman for the Belmont Stakes. Seeing how well the colt is doing and how happy he is, Casse chose to enter him in the Preakness Stakes instead. Sandman’s background, past performances, and current state really set him up as a strong contender for the upcoming Preakness Stakes. We’ll just have to wait and see if he can pose any challenge to the Bob Baffert-trained horse, Goal Oriented, in the G1 event.