Baffert Confirms Rodriguez for Preakness 2025: Is He the Horse to Beat?
Bob Baffert confirmed on Thursday that, after scratching out of the Kentucky Derby due to a foot bruise, Rodriguez will run in next week’s Preakness Stakes (G1).
The Hall of Fame trainer will look to add to his Preakness record of eight victories with a colt who is expected to be among the top morning-line betting contenders in the 150th running of “Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown”.
After galloping at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning, Baffert shared that Rodriguez will work sometime this weekend prior to shipping to Pimlico on Monday.
Rodriguez
POST NUMBER: TBD
JOCKEY: Mike Smith / TRAINER: Bob Baffert
RECORD: 5 starts: 2-2-1
TOP EQUIBASE SPEED FIGURE: 111
RUNNING STYLE: Presser (Prefers to press the pace)
CAREER EARNINGS: $522,800
This son of Authentic and Cayala profiles as one of the horses to beat in the Preakness. if he repeats the form he displayed in his impressive win in the Wood Memorial.
Rodriguez Breeding
Sire: Authentic needs limited introduction as horse fans remember him quite well from pulling off the gate-to-wire upset ($18.80) in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. The brilliant colt, who was dominant racing at long distances, capped off his career with a victory in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland.
Dam: Cayala’s pedigree leaves distance question marks as her only win in 12 career races was at six-furlongs. However, Authentic’s proven ability for stamina and distance is what bettors really need to know from a breeding standpoint.
Rodriguez Jockey / Owner Derby Achievements
Mike Smith has two wins in 19 Preakness mounts. Smith is widely known for bringing home
His victories came aboard Prairie Bayou in 1993 and Justify in 2018. Smith went on to win the coveted Triple Crown with 2018 Horse of the Year Justify.
Bob Baffert owns the record for most Preakness victorties, after wins with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin At Lucky (2010), American Pharoah (2015), Justify (2018), and National Treasure (2023).
Rodriguez is headed to the Kentucky Derby! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/3U1QRhxPMs
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 5, 2025
Rodriguez Race History
Rodriguez has a career record of two wins with two seconds and one third-place finish in five career starts. Including his maiden-breaking win at Santa Anita at a distance of one mile, he has ripped off triple-digit Equibase speed figures in three of his last four races.
The emerging contender followed up his first trip to the winner’s circle with a runner-up finish to another of Baffert’s Derby horses - Citizen Bull - in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) back in February with jockey Juan Hernandez in the saddles.
One month later, after peaking his head out for the lead at the ½ mile pole, Rodriguzez finished third in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita in March behind likely Derby favorite Journalism as well as the highly regarded Barnes.
Rodriguez capped off his three-year-old campaign with his most impressive win on his resume - a gate-to-wire win in the Wood Memorial (G1) on April 5 at Aqueduct - which earned him a career-best 111 Equibase Speed figure -- beating Grande by 3 and ½ lengths with veteran jockey Mike Smith aboard.
Rodriguez Preakness Outlook
Due to his immense tactical speed and talent Rodriguez profiles as one of the top contenders to win the 2025 Preakness Stakes. If Rodriguez is fully recovered from the foot injury that held him out of the Derby, those bettors who invested in the son of Authentic at double-digit odds of 11-1 in the Preakness Future Pool, are holding onto extreme value. If Kentucky Derby runner-up finisher Journalism opts to skip the Preakness, expect Baffert’s prized colt to be the overwhelming favorite to add to the trainer’s record-setting trips to the winner circle.
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Frank Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frank Taddeo primarily performs as On SI’s Senior Fantasy Analyst, providing his significant experience and resources in the sports world.