Citizen Bull was the only horse that Bob Baffert had in the 2025 Kentucky Derby after a last-minute scratch took Rodriguez out of the running. The colt had a foot injury and couldn’t join in, but Citizen Bull’s fast start had Baffert feeling hopeful. That hope quickly vanished when he fell behind the front runners in the final stretch. Rodriguez had a tough time before being scratched off of the Preakness as well, since the horse still wasn’t fully healed from the injury. So, Baffert only had Goal Oriented in the race, but in the end, he didn’t take home the win in that G1 event.

With the Belmont Stakes approaching, it looks like Rodriguez is all set, especially after that recent workout. But a certain filly from the trainer ended up stealing the spotlight. At the 2025 Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes held at Santa Anita Park, trainer Bob Baffert celebrated a fantastic one-two finish with Seismic Beauty and his other horse, Splendora. The 4-year-old filly really shined in her stakes debut, taking the lead right from the beginning and holding onto it all the way to the finish line. With jockey Antonio Fresu aboard, she got off to a quick start and kept her lead, finishing strong with a five-length victory over Splendora.

So, what did Baffert think about it? The 72-year-old trainer was taken aback, saying, “Yeah, you know, I always thought she could go long, and her last race, you know, she proved that she was a really nice horse.” Baffert is really optimistic about the filly’s future, which is a great sign for her since she has a ton of potential.

Now, stressing on this epic victory, DRF reporter Brad Free said, “Seismic Beauty = 104 Beyer runaway G2 Santa Margarita on Sunday at SA, Fresu up for Baffert. Based on the figure, anything possible for Seismic Beauty this summer DMR. First option G1 Hirsch vs. F&M, next option G1 vs. males. Premature? We’ll see.” Seismic Beauty, to put it simply, was unstoppable, receiving the nation’s best Beyer Speed Figure (104 for a filly or mare traveling over a mile on a dirt track) for her outstanding performance.

This impressive number really highlights her potential for some top-notch races in the future. Free pointed out how important this performance was, mentioning that Seismic Beauty might be looking at the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, where she’d face off against fillies and mares. There’s also the possibility of her stepping up to take on male horses in another Grade 1 race.

Even though it might feel a bit early to say, her recent performance shows she could really be a strong competitor in the big races this summer. That’s definitely great news for Baffert! There are plenty of races to look forward to even after the Belmont. But, the final leg of the American Triple Crown is going to be quite a challenge for the trainer.

Bob Baffert will be facing his rival once again

Sovereignty was the horse that dashed Bob Baffert’s hopes at the Kentucky Derby. The colt, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, had a bit of a tough time getting going from the 18th post position. He really picked up the pace and managed to pass the favorite, Journalism, just at the end, winning by 1 1/2 lengths with a time of 2:02.31. So, even with all the buzz around him, Mott chose not to enter his horse in the Preakness. Looks like it’s finally paying off!

DRF correspondent Mike Welsch shared some exciting news on the Kentucky Derby winner, stating, “A star studded team to say the least over a ‘good’ Oklahoma training track with Sovereignty working in co. with no less a mate than Arthur’s Ride breaking 2L back holding slight edge at wire going easiest before edging clear on gallop out 5/8 37.36 102.45 up 3/4 116.03.”

Sovereignty joined forces with Arthur’s Ride. So, Arthur’s Ride dropped back by a couple of lengths but still managed to hold a slight edge at the finish line. Meanwhile, Sovereignty looked pretty relaxed before it surged ahead during the gallop out. This really highlights how fast the colt is, and that’s super important leading up to the Belmont Stakes.