Bob Baffert’s star colt, Citizen Bull, is shaping up to be a serious Kentucky Derby contender. And his latest exercises at Santa Anita Park only fueled the hype. Although there’s still time before the Kentucky Derby, Baffert is sure to hope that his champion thoroughbred peaks at the right time and brings him Kentucky Derby glory on his comeback to the race. And well, Citizen Bull has had no shortage of fan support.

The son of Into Mischief, already a multiple graded stakes winner, clocked in at 1:12.00 for six furlongs on March 17, putting in yet another solid shift under Baffert’s watchful eye. With four wins in five starts and over $1.4 million in earnings, Citizen Bull is one of Baffert’s top Derby hopefuls this season. The three-year-old ran in company with Nafisa, a four-year-old filly still looking for her first win, and looked effortless in the process.

While Baffert is still finalizing plans for his Kentucky Derby-bound prospects, Citizen Bull remains on track for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5—a crucial prep race before the Run for the Roses on May 3rd. Baffert has a powerhouse lineup of three-year-olds, including Getaway Car and Madaket Road, but Citizen Bull continues to stand out. His resume speaks for itself, boasting wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Robert B. Lewis (G3). He has, after all, won 4 out of the 5 races he’s entered so far.

Barnes and Cornucopian—two other highly regarded Baffert horses—also worked at Santa Anita the same day. Both clocked 1:11.80 for six furlongs, while Gaming and Rodriguez also put in sharp moves. Baffert has yet to finalize which horses he’ll send where, with the Santa Anita Derby, Arkansas Derby, and Florida Derby all under consideration.

“I’ll know more by next week,” Baffert said. With the Santa Anita Derby shaping up as a potential showdown between Citizen Bull and Journalism, all eyes are on Baffert’s next move.

Fans rally behind Citizen Bull’s Derby push

Baffert’s horses always draw attention, but Citizen Bull’s latest clip had fans buzzing about his Kentucky Derby chances. One supporter raved about his professionalism, writing, “What a nice horse! He went so easy and professional, he knows where the wire is. Bob took the right decision putting Martin García on City—perfect match.” Indeed, with the success the horse has enjoyed, choosing Garcia as his jockey has proven to be an inspired choice.

The Santa Anita Derby could be the biggest test yet, especially if Citizen Bull faces Journalism—another Derby contender. One fan hyped up the matchup, saying: “It’s going to be a memorable Santa Anita Derby if Citizen Bull faces Journalism! Baffert has some other good three-year-olds he might want to keep at home also. This is go time for the top 3-year-olds, last prep before the Ky Derby!” With the Derby just over a month away, every race counts as the pressure begins to seriously mount.

Baffert’s training tactics are legendary, and fans noticed a key hint from the Hall of Fame trainer. One supporter pointed out, “Call me crazy, but knowing all the base Bull has, plus Baffert cranking him with these works, and the fact he’s championship tested, I think he’s going into this race vs. Journalism better than Barnes was.” It really is shaping up to be the most intriguing internal competition.

Another fan caught onto the same trend, “I love the confidence! Baffert’s works and the championship testing definitely give Bull an edge. It’s like he’s hinting at a bigger performance to come.”

Baffert’s Derby squad is loaded, but Citizen Bull continues to look like his best shot. Another fan noticed, “Of the Baffert boys, I think he’s the one who has looked the best in his exercises lately.” That’s saying something, considering Cornucopian recently shattered a track record at Oaklawn (the fastest time in track history for a 3-year-old maiden special weight at six furlongs, according to Paulick Report), and Barnes posted a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure despite finishing second in the San Felipe.

Citizen Bull, however, has already proven himself against the best, winning multiple graded stakes races, including the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. With Baffert’s history at the Kentucky Derby, it’s no surprise that fans are backing Citizen Bull to be his next big winner. But first, he needs one more strong performance in the Santa Anita Derby. If he delivers as expected, his Derby hype will hit another level—and with the way fans are reacting, Citizen Bull is already looking like a crowd favorite heading into Churchill Downs.