The 2024-25 horse racing season for Bob Baffert has been quite an adventure. Initially brimming with optimism during the early prep races for the Kentucky Derby, he encountered numerous obstacles as the prep season drew to a close. With just a few weeks remaining until the main event at Churchill Downs, the anticipation builds as we wait to see how Baffert’s horses will perform against their rivals.

Have you seen that the odds for the Kentucky Derby have already been predicted?  Is Citizen Bull at the top? Unfortunately for Bob Baffert, it is not one of his horses that is in the spotlight, but rather the horse that’s been the talk of the town lately: Journalism.

A report from CBS Sports indicates that the horse trained by Michael McCarthy will be positioned at the gates at Churchill Downs with odds of 3-1. What is his background, you ask? The horse boasts a remarkable racing record of 5 starts, with 4 wins and a third-place finish, with total earnings of $638,880.

Among his significant achievements are the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in 2024, the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes in March 2025, and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April 2025. Not to mention the Santa Anita Derby win came at what’s considered Bob Baffert’s home track, while he also beat Baffert’s top horse, Citizen Bull. His sole third-place finish he achieved occurred while he was attempting to clinch his Maiden at Santa Anita Park for the first time.

These victories have firmly established his position as a leading contender for the forthcoming Kentucky Derby. But this is Bob Baffert. If you thought he was going to go down quietly, well, then you thought wrong.

Bob Baffert’s horse showcasing promise on the track

Bob Baffert will have three contenders in the race. In just a few weeks, Rodriguez, Citizen Bull, and Madaket Road will take their positions at Churchill Downs, where the fate of the Kentucky Derby will be determined by one triumphant contender.

In a recent update, Tom Ryan reported on Madaket Road, stating, “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.”

And he looks to be in good shape ahead of the race too. “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.”

Ryan expresses a hopeful outlook regarding the potential of the three-year-old colt. Madaket Road needs to elevate his performance in the coming three weeks to establish himself as a serious contender. At present, he is in good health and brings a wealth of racing experience to the table. Both of these factors are crucial for the success of the trainer as well as the horse. Will Bob Baffert be crowned the winner for a record 7th time? Or will Journalism trot away with the garland of roses? May 3rd cannot come fast enough!