Bob Baffert

Biography

Bob Baffert became the 11th trainer to win racing’s Triple Crown when American Pharoah swept the series in 2015. Three years later, Baffert joined James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons as the only trainers to win the Triple Crown twice when Justify became America’s 13th Triple Crown winner. Justify’s victory in the Belmont gave Baffert his 15th victory in a Triple Crown race, the most in history. Baffert has since won the Kentucky Derby with Authentic in 2020 and the Preakness in 2023 with National Treasure to push his record number of Triple Crown wins to 17.

In addition to his Triple Crown winners, Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), and Authentic (2020); the Preakness with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin At Lucky (2010), and National Treasure (2023); and the Belmont with Point Given (2001). He is tied with Ben Jones for the most Kentucky Derby wins at six and has won a record eight editions of the Preakness. 

Through 2023, Baffert has won 3,358 races with purse earnings of $351,092,384 (No. 3 all time). 

Baffert grew up on his family’s 240-acre cattle ranch near the Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona. His father bred quarter horses and his mother was a teacher and school principal. Baffert got his start with horses at age 10 when he began grooming and galloping his father’s horses. He had a brief career as a jockey, winning his first sanctioned race in 1970 at Flagstaff in Arizona.

After his riding career didn’t work out, Baffert graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in animal sciences and racetrack management. He had plenty of success training quarter horses, including four champions, one of which, Gold Coast Express, was the 1986 Quarter Horse World Champion. Baffert won his first race as a thoroughbred trainer Jan. 28, 1979, saddling Flipper Star to a victory at Rillito in Arizona. The winner’s share of the $600 purse was $330.

The Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2015, Baffert has won 19 Breeders’ Cup races, including four editions of the Classic with Bayern (2014), American Pharoah (2015), Arrogate (2016), and Authentic (2020).

Baffert led all North American trainers in earnings in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. He has trained 22 champions (Abel Tasman, American Pharoah, Arrogate, Authentic, Chilukki, Corniche, Drefong, Game Winner, Gamine, Improbable, Indian Blessing, Justify, Lookin At Lucky, Midnught Lute, Midshipman, Point Gven, Real Quiet, Silverbulletday, Silver Charm, Vindication, War Emblem, and West Coast). 

Along with his 17 wins in the Triple Crown series and 19 in the Breeders’ Cup, Baffert has had tremendous success in numerous other prestigious events, including 17 wins in the Del Mar Futurity (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023); 12 wins in the Chandelier (previously Oak Leaf) Stakes (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020); nine wins in the Santa Anita Derby (1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019), Haskell Invitational (2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020), and Hollywood Gold Cup (1999, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023); seven wins in the Pacific Classic (1999, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2023); five wins in the Santa Anita Handicap (2000, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014); and four wins in the Dubai World Cup (1998, 2001, 2017, 2022).

Baffert has won 30 training titles in Southern California.

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer — 1997, 1998, 1999, 2015
North America's leading trainer in earnings — 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 2015 Triple Crown — American Pharoah
Won the 2018 Triple Crown — Justify

Won the 1997 Kentucky Derby— Silver Charm
Won the 1998 Kentucky Derby — Real Quiet
Won the 2002 Kentucky Derby — War Emblem
Won the 2015 Kentucky Derby — American Pharoah
Won the 2018 Kentucky Derby — Justify 
Won the 2020 Kentucky Derby — Authentic
Won the 1997 Preakness Stakes — Silver Charm
Won the 1998 Preakness Stakes — Real Quiet
Won the 2001 Preakness Stakes — Point Given
Won the 2002 Preakness Stakes — War Emblem
Won the 2010 Preakness Stakes — Lookin At Lucky
Won the 2015 Preakness Stakes — American Pharoah
Won the 2018 Preakness Stakes — Justify 
Won the 2023 Preakness Stakes — National Treasure
Won the 2001 Belmont Stakes — Point Given
Won the 2015 Belmont Stakes — American Paroah
Won the 2018 Belmont Stakes — Justify 

Breeders' Cup Highlights

Won the 1992 Sprint — Thirty Slews
Won the 1998 Juvenile Fillies — Silverbulletday
Won the 2002 Juvenile — Vindication
Won the 2007 Sprint — Midnight Lute
Won the 2007 Juvenile Fillies — Indian Blessing
Won the 2008 Sprint — Midnight Lute
Won the 2008 Juvenile — Midshipman
Won the 2011 Juvenile Sprint — Secret Circle
Won the 2013 Sprint — Secret Circle
Won the 2013 Juvenile — New Year's Day 
Won the 2014 Classic — Bayern
Won the 2015 Classic — American Pharoah
Won the 2016 Classic — Arrogate
Won the 2016 Sprint — Drefong
Won the 2018 Juvenile — Game Winner
Won the 2020 Filly and Mare Sprint — Gamine
Won the 2020 Classic — Authentic 
Won the 2021 Juvenile — Corniche 
Won the 2024 Juvenile — Citizen Bull

Trainer Profile | Bob Baffert | Equibase is Your Official Source for Thoroughbred Racing Information