Bob Baffert is the subject of much discussion lately. Indeed, many horse racing enthusiasts eagerly anticipate his return to Churchill Downs, where he aims to secure that elusive seventh Kentucky Derby victory. Nevertheless, the Road to the Kentucky Derby is not without its challenges. And so Baffert is currently navigating various obstacles, as evidenced by the latest performances of his horses. Did you watch the Arkansas Derby?

The Grade 1 race at Oaklawn Park was set to be the stage to showcase the dominance of Baffert’s Cornucopian. However, expectations have not quite matched reality. The three-year-old colt only managed to secure a fourth-place finish, accumulating a rather paltry 15 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings. But who emerged victorious in the race and secured those all-important 100 points? It was Mark Casse’s Sandman. This race proved a bit of a setback for Bob Baffert, who had high hopes for Cornucopian.

Nevertheless, Cornucopian isn’t Baffert’s only contender; the loss may have been a setback, but it looks like it won’t be for long. After all, just look at the impressive workout of Baffert’s highest-ranked horse in the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings: Citizen Bull.  On X, horse racing photographer J. McLaughlin Safford shared several images of Citizen Bull, accompanied by a caption that read, “Bullet 5F in 58.40 for Citizen Bull this morning with Juan Hernandez in the Irons for HoF trainer Bob Baffert.”

Amidst a flurry of competitors in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, Citizen Bull remains Baffert’s top contender, boasting a tally of 60 points. It’s important to highlight that the horse has not competed for quite some time, thus his 9th place position in the leaderboard. This workout demonstrates that the three-year-old colt is sharp as ever, suggesting that Bob Baffert could anticipate impressive outcomes from him down the line. Is he participating in any specific race? Nothing has been confirmed, but he could potentially be entered for the Santa Anita Derby on April 5th.

At present, Citizen Bull remains in the stables, yet the moment when Baffert decides to put him to the test is surely soon to arrive. The three-year-old colt has maintained an impressive winning streak since last year’s Del Mar Futurity, and Baffert is eager to see his horse sustain this momentum. He is, after all, Baffert’s most promising and consistent contender. But back to Cornucopian—what really transpired in the Arkansas Derby?

The race didn’t go the way Bob Baffert anticipated

Think back to the moment when Bob Baffert remarked, “Him [Cornucopian] being the favorite? I don’t know about that. I don’t think he should be the favorite because he has just one out. Coal Battle should be the favorite. I think he might end up the favorite. He’s a good horse and that Sandman’s a good horse. Grade 1s are always tough, but they’re supposed to be tough.”

The 72-year-old trainer was aware of the buzz surrounding his horse, Cornucopian, but was quick to temper expectations. Bob Baffert foresaw that Coal Battle and Sandman would present significant challenges, and indeed, they lived up to that expectation during the race.

Sandman delivered an exhilarating performance at Oaklawn Park. Under the guidance of Mark Casse and with Jose Ortiz in the saddle, the three-year-old finished the 1 1/8-mile race on a fast track in 1:50.08, solidifying his status as a top contender for the Kentucky Derby by amassing an impressive 100 points. What is his total?

At present, he leads the pack with a total of 129 points. Flavien Prat’s Publisher secured a second-place finish, while Coal Battle followed closely in third, trailing the runner-up by 4 1/2 lengths.

Cornucopian, as discussed earlier, secured a fourth-place finish, which left many in the community feeling disappointed given the high expectations surrounding the racehorse. Nonetheless, this may not signify the end for the three-year-old, as Bob Baffert could potentially enter him in an upcoming race to secure those vital Kentucky Derby points.