As Bob Baffert prepares to take center stage at the forthcoming Kentucky Derby, all eyes are also on his horses. The excitement surrounding Rodriguez and Citizen Bull is palpable. Both horses faced their own set of challenges in the past, yet their impressive speed in the preparatory races allowed them to clinch a spot in the prestigious Run for the Roses. As the Grade 1 race draws near, the co-owner has conveyed a compelling message—one that Baffert would do well to heed.

Tom Ryan has a deep connection with his horses, and as a co-owner of Rodriguez and Citizen Bull, he readily expressed his views on the colts. According to the Paulick Report, Ryan shared insights on Rodriguez, saying, “He’s training fantastic. He shipped in yesterday and went to the track this morning. He seems to be taking it all in stride. His last work was right on point, and he’ll have another piece of work over the track this weekend. He’s a good-minded horse, and he’s quite straightforward. He handled the ship to New York, so he had that under his belt. He’s taken the ship to Kentucky just fine, so we’re excited.”

Rodriguez emerged as a leading contender for the Run for the Roses after amassing a significant 100 points with his victory in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on April 5. In the wake of the triumph, the colt has participated in several workouts, notably clocking 5F in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita on April 20.

Ryan also shared his insights on Citizen Bull, noting, “Citizen Bull had a good work with J.J. Hernandez and he went through his paces well. He’s ready, and we’re excited about him, too. His last race was important, but this next one it the target. He ships tomorrow.” The co-owner expressed admiration for the impressive speed demonstrated by the colt.

Additionally, Ryan shared insights on the significance of Citizen Bull’s performance at the Santa Anita Derby. Even if the horse fell short of a first-place finish on that day, attention will undoubtedly shift to his form as he approaches the Kentucky Derby next. Did you know that Ryan provided an update on yet another horse trained by Baffert?

There’s still hope for the Bob Baffert-trained horse

The horse being discussed is Cornucopian. The colt faced significant skepticism following an underwhelming performance at the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on March 29. It appears that he is set to receive a fresh opportunity in his racing career.

Co-owner Tom Ryan provided an update on Bob Baffert’s horse, remarking, “He’s really such an exciting colt and we’re happy to find a spot that’s suitable to his conditions. He’s shown us that he has a lot of ability, and hopefully he can show us that again. He’s a horse that has some potential lofty targets ahead, so we wanted to find the right race to entertain potentially prepping into the next Classic. I think we’d look at the Preakness first, and a trip back to New York wouldn’t be [out of the question] either.”

Cornucopian may have missed the first leg of the American Triple Crown, but he is set to compete in the second leg, the Preakness Stakes. The upcoming horse race, boasting a prize of $2 million, promises to showcase a variety of talents, including the colt trained by Baffert. Nonetheless, there exists an additional challenge for Cornucopian. Certainly, the colt is set to compete in an Allowance race at Aqueduct on April 27. Only time will reveal his performance.