Bob Baffert Fires In Two Winners At Del Mar Summer Meet

Hall of Fame US trainer Bob Baffert, who is recently back from a 90-day suspension,  is back with a bang after he fired in two winners victories on the first weekend of the Del Mar summer race meet.

Yes, just three weeks after coming back from his 90-day ban (ended on 2nd July), Baffert sent out Havnameltdown to win by 2 1/4 lengths, which was the horse’s first career start in Sunday’s $80,000 fourth race at the San Diego track – Del Mar. The 2-year-old colt is owned by longstanding Baffert supporters Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.

While last Saturday (23rd July), Baffert also landed a $16,000 claiming race with 3-year-old colt Sumo.

Baffert Sends An Army Of Horses To Del Mar

These recent Baffert winners were just two of a 45-strong army of horses he’s sent down from his training center at Santa Anita near Los Angeles. Plus, last weekend on Saturday, he once again advertised the good form of his horses with one of his star colts – Taiba – finishing second by a just a head in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park. Ridden by Mike E Smith, he was sent off at horse racing betting odds of 21/10 in that race and had the odds-on favorite – Jack Christopher – 2 lengths back in third.

Watch The 2021 Haskell Stakes Again

Baffert’s Recent Ban Explained

In April this year (2022), the Hall Of Fame handler – Bob Baffert – started serving a suspension which was due to a failed post-race drug test involving a horse called Medina Spirit. This horse finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby but was later disqualified. During the ban Baffert wasn’t allowed to attend any race track, plus his horses were sent to other trainers.

In June (2022), the New York Racing Association also suspended Bob Baffert for one year, which was due to a repeated medication violation, despite none of these occurring in New York. That punishment, bans him from Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct race tracks and ends on 26th Jan 2023.

In addition, Baffert, the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer, also remains under a two-year ban by Churchill Downs racecourse – this means he’ll not be able to have runners at the Kentucky Derby for two years – however, he is suing the Louisville track to try and get this overturned.