It wouldn’t be horse racing if there weren’t a few last-minute changes. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert announced Thursday that Rodriguez, winner of the Wood Memorial, has been scratched due to a hoof bruise, opening up a post position for Baeza.
This is the first year that Baffert has starters in the Derby since the end of his three-year suspension. Baffert was been banned from Churchill Downs and all CDI-owned tracks following Medina Spirit’s disqualification for a failed drug test after winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Though Baffert contested the ban in court, he was reinstated in July 2024 after releasing a statement accepting responsibility for the incident. Another Baffert runner, Citizen Bull, will start in post 1.
According to Ryan, Rodriguez remains in good condition, and the team will now point the colt toward the Preakness Stakes in two weeks.
Rodriguez’s exit clears the way for this year’s lone also-eligible, Baeza, to draw into the starting gate. Trained by John Shirreffs, Baeza turned heads with a strong second-place finish to Journalism in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, despite just making his stakes debut. He needed one of two things to happen to make the Kentucky Derby field outright: either a victory or the addition of a sixth horse to the Santa Anita Derby field. Neither happened, though the son of McKinzie certainly tried, finishing a green second by three-quarters of a length to Derby favorite Journalism.
A new rule this year lowered the points earned for qualifying races with short fields, Baeza only earned 37.5 points for his runner-up finish in the five-horse Santa Anita Derby. Had more than five horses been in the race, Baeza would have earned 50 points and his connections would not have had to sweat all week about getting into the race.
Several defections moved the colt from 27th up to 21st in the standings, and Rodriguez’s scratch finally opens the door. Baeza brings a blue-blooded pedigree to the Derby, as a half-brother to Classic winners Mage and Dornoch. At 107, he has the second fastest speed rating in the field, second only to Journalism at 108.
He’ll also have veteran experience in his corner. Reigning champion jockey Flavien Prat is confirmed to ride Baeza. Plat has ridden in seven previous Derbys including riding Country House, who was declared the winner in 2019 when Maximum Security was disqualified and he finished fourth or better six years.
Shirreffs will be looking for his second Kentucky Derby triumph, nearly 20 years after Giacomo’s 50-1 shocker in 2005.
With the field now set, Baeza’s entry adds fresh intrigue—and another potential upset—to what’s shaping up to be an exciting Run for the Roses.