Recall when Bob Baffert took Madaket Road out of the running for the Kentucky Derby? So, the community was split right down the middle. Some folks believed it was a fantastic choice for the horse, while others wondered if it was a wise move to reduce his chances of standing in the winners’ circle and lifting that trophy again for the record 7th time. After all, as Mystik Dan showed us all last year, at the Kentucky Derby nothing matters but those 2 high-octane minutes. But Baffert isn’t the only one making big decisions for his colts. Some other trainers are also focusing on other races instead of the Run for the Roses.

“Built will skip Kentucky Derby, run in Pat Day Mile and maybe the Preakness, owner Aron Wellman says. Neoequos now in the Derby field,” read a tweet posted on X by @KentuckyDerbyCJ. The owner of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Aron Wellman, was looking to have his horse Built change gears from the Kentucky Derby to the Pat Day Mile Stakes, just like Bob Baffert. The Grade 2 race is going to take place at the same racecourse as the Run for the Roses, and it’s all going down on May 3, 2025!

Trained by Wayne Catalano and owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the three-year-old colt really made a splash with an impressive debut on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He wrapped up his first race at Ellis Park with a solid third place and then went on to snag his first win at Keeneland on October 6, 2024. But in comparison, Built really shined in the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds on December 21, 2024. He took the lead right from the start and cruised to a 6 3/4-length victory, picking up 10 Derby qualifying points along the way.

The colt kept up his impressive performance with a second-place finish in the Lecomte Stakes on January 18, 2025, which added another 10 points to his Derby tally. He also came in third at the Risen Star Stakes and fifth at the Louisiana Derby, but he still had enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

It seems like the colt’s owner has something else in mind for him. So, stepping in for the colt is Neoequos, trained by Edgard Zayas. However, are you aware that Bob Baffert is also looking forward to another race amidst the Run for the Roses’ anticipation?

Bob Baffert is moving ahead at full steam on all fronts

Even though Bob Baffert has Citizen Bull and Rodriguez lined up for the Kentucky Derby, he’s still keeping an eye on his other horses, who are set to race in different events too. Especially Tenma, who’s set to line up on May 2, 2025, for the prestigious Kentucky Oaks. The filly is going after that $1.5 million purse for her trainer, and Baffert is putting her through some workouts to get ready for it.

Photographer J. McLaughlin Safford previously stated, “Kentucky Oaks bound Tenma worked 6F in 1:12.60 this morning under Juan Hernandez for HoF trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Park.”

Jockey Juan Hernandez skillfully led the filly during her training. This workout shows that Tenma is in great shape as she prepares for the big race, with her time reflecting a strong and competitive pace. There are just a few days left until the “Lilies for the Fillies,” and the horse is already looking fantastic for Bob Baffert. Now, while the Derby is Baffert’s main event, he’s no slouch when it comes to the Kentucky Oaks, having won the race 3 times, with his last win coming in 2017.

And while Tenma isn’t exactly a favorite heading into the race—that honor goes to Good Cheer, trained by Brad Cox; Quietside, trained by John Ortiz; and La Cara, trained by Mark E. Casse—she has won all but one of the six races she’s raced in, including a sole G1 race victory at the 2024 Del Mar Debutante. And if Tenma can deliver the goods, that would place Bob Baffert in joint second position with his fellow Hall of Famers Ben Jones and Todd Pletcher for most Oaks wins.