Bob Baffert is in pursuit of his illustrious 7th Kentucky Derby victory. This accolade was revoked after Medina Spirit, his horse, tested positive for the prohibited substance betamethasone in the aftermath of the 2021 race. Despite the fact that the horse trained by Baffert had finished ahead of the pack, the subsequent drug violation sparked an extensive investigation and a protracted legal struggle.

In February 2022, Churchill Downs took the significant step of disqualifying Medina Spirit, thereby retroactively granting the victory to Mandaloun, the horse that finished in second place. Baffert’s 2021 Derby victory was subsequently nullified, leading to the removal of his name from the record books as a seven-time Derby winner. The controversy resulted in a two-year suspension for the trainer from Churchill Downs racetracks, significantly damaging his reputation.

Yet, he returns seeking redemption. The journey to the Kentucky Derby has proven to be anything but straightforward for him, given the numerous challengers he has encountered along the way. What is the total number of horses that Bob Baffert has lined up to compete at Churchill Downs in the coming weeks? The figure rises to 3. However, one horse has recently been observed engaging in a workout session.

On X, Tom Ryan shared an update regarding Madaket Road, noting, “SF homebred colt Madaket Road, a son of Quality Road, worked solo this morning at Santa Anita. He went a half-mile in 47 flat full of energy for Bob Baffert. He is now officially qualified 18th for the 151st Kentucky Derby, which is just 21 days away. He is a talented and progressive colt. He needs to move forward over the next 3 weeks to be effective; thankfully, he’s healthy and happy and has experience under his belt. He will be in barn 33 at Churchill Downs. We couldn’t be more proud of the great team around these colts.”

The training session takes place as the horse secures its official qualification for the 151st Kentucky Derby, now positioned 18th in the race for one of the 20 available spots. Ryan remains optimistic about the colt’s potential. While Madaket Road must continue to enhance his performance over the next three weeks to emerge as a formidable competitor, he is currently in good health and possesses valuable racing experience—both essential factors for success.

This represents a notably encouraging development for an individual such as Baffert. Despite having two more competitive horses in the race, such as Rodriguez and Citizen Bull, any sign of promise from Madaket Road serves as a distinct advantage for the trainer. Are you familiar with the complete narrative surrounding Madaket Road?

Story of Bob Baffert’s promising colt

Under the guidance of Bob Baffert and backed by an alliance that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, Madaket Road kicked off his racing journey as a 2-year-old, securing a commendable second place in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on November 17, 2024. He achieved his initial win in a debut race at Santa Anita on December 26, 2024.

At the age of three, Madaket Road participated in several important preparatory races for the Kentucky Derby, securing a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, and a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. His performances garnered a total of 46 qualifying points, securing him the 18th position on the leaderboard for the 151st Kentucky Derby.

With a career record of 5 starts, 1 win, 2 seconds, and 1 third, along with earnings of $326,000, Madaket Road has shown remarkable consistency and competitiveness as he gears up for the Derby. It remains to be seen whether he will secure that elusive seventh Kentucky Derby victory for Bob Baffert.