For those passionate about horse racing, all eyes will be laser-focused on the upcoming Santa Anita Derby. Of course, they would, because after all, the derby gives us the chance to see not one but two Bob Baffert horses in action. In just a few hours, the two “Baffert behemoths,” as quoted by horse owner Aron Wellman, will be all set to compete and hopefully acquire the highest point totals in their bid to make it to Churchill Downs. But the Santa Anita Derby is not going to be an easy ride, and Baffert is well aware of the fact.

Citizen Bull and Barnes are the two Baffert horses who are locked in and ready, and while there’s anticipation about their performances, there’s also intrigue. But let’s hear it from the man himself. “I think it’s the toughest (Kentucky Derby) prep of the year. Journalism is the horse to beat, and we still don’t really know how good Baeza is. He’s a nice horse. I think we’ll know more when they hit the three-eighths pole,” stated the 72-year-old trainer, as per the Paulick Report.

With his two top horses in the running for those coveted Kentucky Derby points, he is acutely aware of the stiff competition ahead. Especially for Barnes, who has already been defeated by Journalism once before during the San Felipe Stakes. Barnes established an early lead with Juan Hernandez aboard, maintaining his position in the lead until the final furlong, where Journalism kicked into gear and captured the win.

This stirred considerable turmoil for Baffert at the time, as Journalism had in fact beaten a trio of his horses (Mellencamp and Rodriguez too). So this time, Barnes needs a good finish to keep him in the mix for the Kentucky Derby, unlike Journalism and Citizen Bull, who are pretty much locks. But Barnes faces an additional disadvantage in the fact that this year’s Santa Anita Derby will see only 5 competitors and therefore reduced point totals up for grabs (75, 37.5, 18.75, 11.25, and 7.5 points). It’s a pivotal race for Barnes, but his jockey is keeping calm and confident.

Putting his confidence in Bob Baffert’s horse

Barnes’ jockey Juan Hernandez cut a confident figure when discussing Barnes’ performance in the forthcoming Santa Anita Derby. The jockey shared his thoughts on riding Barnes, stating, “It was his first time going long. I think he’ll get a lot of benefit from that race. He didn’t have the experience of going two turns, and he still ran great.”

Journalism proved to be just too good at the San Felipe Stakes, but the jockey saw it as a learning opportunity and a chance for growth. Hernandez conveys a firm belief in riding Barnes, asserting that the three-year-old has learned important lessons from the mistakes encountered in his last race at the popular racecourse. And with already having competed against Journalism once, that extra experience could make a difference.

Despite the defeat, even Bob Baffert spoke optimistically of the race. “I think he got a lot out of it. He’s really fit, and we already know he’s fast.” Now the question is, will Barnes be the dark horse (pardon the pun) of Santa Anita Park?

Well, Barnes’ workout did leave a significant impression, as the horse managed to complete a half-mile in just 48 seconds. As the hours tick down, anticipation builds to see how the horse will perform against its rivals in this most intriguing showdown.