“It’s a dream come true,” said Garcia. “It’s what every jockey wants.” And oh boy, it really feels like the stars are spinning backward in time this year. After chilling on the sidelines for a whole decade, Martin Garcia made his big ol’ return to the Kentucky Derby stage; like a cowboy riding back into a town he once ruled. This time, he had Citizen Bull under him, the fiery champ crowned best 2-year-old male last year, all prepped and polished by none other than Bob Baffert. For those keeping Derby score, Garcia’s danced this dance four times before, back in his 2010–2015 run, with that near-golden finish in 2015 when Dortmund took third behind the legendary American Pharoah. But now? He’s got that fire in his belly and a powerhouse between his boots.
“I’m excited to get back, most of all because I know I have a very good horse to ride,” he said. And the vibe? Pure comeback magic. And speaking of comebacks… cue the dramatic music—Bob Baffert is back too. After three whole years stuck outside Churchill Downs thanks to that high-profile suspension saga, he’s finally eligible again, tossing Citizen Bull into the mix like he never left. And just when things couldn’t get more Hollywood, Garcia pulls off a classic move from his Derby vault, straight outta the glory-days playbook, and the crowd felt that echo from a decade ago.
Ruben, the mastermind behind TV magic and all things social at @FanDuelTV and @FanDuel_Racing, jumped onto X on May 3 with some fire takes, and oh did he stir the Derby pot! He posted, “CITIZEN BULL did a 70% Bayern out of the gate. Guess who was aboard both of those. As long as people say the start doesn’t matter, he’ll keep doing this. It has been 10 years now since Bayern. And still.” Whew—now that’s a mic drop with history.
CITIZEN BULL did a 70% Bayern out of the gate
Guess who was aboard both of those
As long as people say the start doesn’t matter, he’ll keep doing this
It has been 10 years now since Bayern
And still. pic.twitter.com/VPNd7GCxd8
— Ruben (@RubenFanDuelTV) May 4, 2025
That “70% Bayern” line? That’s Derby code for saying Citizen Bull exploded out of the gate like a cannonball with attitude, channeling the ghost of Bayern, who back in 2014 basically kickstarted a hurricane at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Yeah, that wild start, the one where Bayern cut off the field, left jaws dropped, and still somehow waltzed away with the win.
Ruben’s basically saying Citizen Bull brought that same kind of chaos, just dialed down a notch. And what really makes it spicy? The same jockey, Martin Garcia, was the pilot in both those thrill rides. So it’s not just the horse, it’s the vibe, the swagger, and a decade-long recipe for ruffling feathers at the gates.
This story is developing…
The post Controversy Surrounds Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull as Jockey Pulls of Decade Old Move at Kentucky Derby 2025 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
