Kentucky Derby 2025: Prep plans remain fluid for Baffert hopefuls

Plans are fluid for California 3-year-olds, but well-seasoned Citizen Bull could start just once more before the Kentucky Derby, while lightly raced Barnes and Rodriguez have time for two more starts beginning with the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park or Grade 2 San Felipe on March 1 at Santa Anita. Citizen Bull, Barnes, and Rodriguez are trained by Bob Baffert.

“I might wait for the Santa Anita Derby with” Citizen Bull, Baffert said last weekend.

Citizen Bull, 2024 champion juvenile male and decisive winner of the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita, is the 10-1 favorite on the Derby Watch Top 20 odds line by Daily Racing Form linemaker David Aragona. Having won 4 of 5 starts, Citizen Bull is sufficiently seasoned.

Barnes and Rodriguez each worked five furlongs Tuesday; Barnes earned a bullet designation after working in 58.80 seconds in company with Dothraki. Baffert said Rodriguez also worked five furlongs in company; his published time was a half-mile in 47.80.

Barnes is 2 for 2. Both starts were sprints, including the Grade 2 San Vicente. Rodriguez is 1 for 3, including a 100 Beyer Speed Figure maiden romp and runner-up finish in the Lewis. The next starts for Barnes and Rodriguez? Baffert said “either one goes to the Rebel, or they both run in the San Felipe.”

Romanesque, the San Vicente runner-up, also is a candidate for the San Felipe.

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Plans are subject to change. Referring to Barnes, Baffert said last week, “I don’t want to be in a hurry. I only want to ship him once. I don’t want to ship him twice.”

Barnes shipped to Churchill Downs to win his career debut Nov. 27 and followed with an impressive win Jan. 4 in the San Vicente. Barnes is 12-1 second favorite on the Derby Watch Top 20.

Getaway Car headed to Sunland

Itineraries changed for Baffert-trained Getaway Car and Romanesque. Both had been under consideration for the $1.5 million Saudi Derby on Feb. 22, but Baffert entered Getaway Car in the $400,000 Sunland Derby on Feb. 16 at Sunland Park. Romanesque’s training for the Saudi Derby was interrupted by a minor setback.

“The horse I really wanted to take [to Saudi] was Romanesque, but I missed some time with him,” Baffert said.

Romanesque went more than two weeks without working, but returned to the tab Monday with five furlongs in 1:00. He will be nominated to the San Felipe.

As for Getaway Car, Baffert believes the tiring stretch at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia would be too much. Unfortunately, Getaway Car might be compromised by pace in the Sunland Derby. A front-runner/pace-presser, 9-5 favorite Getaway Car meets a field loaded with speed. The Sunland Derby was won last year by Stronghold, who won the Santa Anita Derby in his next start.

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