Bob Baffert has an impressive history at Del Mar, racking up an incredible 178 stakes wins and a bunch of training titles over the years. His recent successes in 2024 and 2025 just add to his reputation as a major player in California racing. This season has been quite a ride for the Hall-of-Fame trainer.
Since coming back from a multi-year ban, Baffert has faced some tough times. His horses haven’t quite hit the mark in several big races, like the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, putting his resilience and reputation to the test. With summer just around the corner, everyone’s looking at Del Mar. Baffert is aiming to show off his skills again, particularly with the up-and-coming star, Nysos.
With all that’s going on, Baffert sees the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar as a chance to bounce back. Nysos, the colt, made a stunning comeback after a year off, finishing in a dead heat for second at Churchill Downs and then absolutely crushing it in the G3 Triple Bend at Santa Anita with an impressive performance.
According to DRF, Bob Baffert expressed his confidence in his colt, saying, “He still is. He’s just cool. He’s very cool, nothing upsets him. He’s just a very quiet horse. He walks up there like no big deal.” Looking ahead, Baffert also mentioned, “He’s older now, he’s filled out, he’s got a great mind. I think we’ll know how he comes out of it, what he does next.”
The San Diego Handicap serves as a challenge and could also be a stepping stone to bigger races like the Pacific Classic or the Breeders’ Cup Classic. With the San Diego Handicap coming up, everyone’s focused on whether Nysos will come through for his trainer.
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A solid performance would be a big win for Baffert, especially after a season filled with ups and downs. It would also show how a composed, balanced colt can really capture the patience, structure, and resilience needed to succeed in top-level racing. But Baffert is also checking out other races this summer.
Bob Baffert isn’t going to rest until he gets his revenge
Bob Baffert is definitely a well-known figure in the Triple Crown world, but this year, not making it to the podium in those three races meant his horses really had to step it up to keep pace. As each race passed, the stakes kept climbing—not just in cash, but also in what it would mean for his legacy. Baffert’s rivalry with Journalism and Sovereignty has really become a season-long drama, hasn’t it? But he’s not the type to just sit back and let them take over the scene.
“He’s going to the Travers. We’ll get him home. He’s flying home on Tuesday and then back for the Travers,” the trainer said about his colt, Goal Oriented. So, this happened after Goal Oriented’s run at the G1 Haskell Stakes, where he ended up finishing third.
In that race, Journalism took the win pretty easily, but you can bet Baffert isn’t going to give up without a fight. Since Journalism and Sovereignty are both set to compete at Saratoga for the Travers Stakes, it’s a great chance for him to finally get that sweet revenge.
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