On the second Saturday in June, the sport of horse racing once again will stage one of its signature events, the Belmont Stakes, outside New York City. And Bob Baffert -- both successful and controversial --- once again will be at the center of the drama.
With his blue-tinted sunglasses and snow white hair, the 70-year-old trainer's horses have won more races in the Triple Crown than any other trainer in history. That number ballooned to 17 when National Treasure, who had won only one race before, won the Preakness Stakes in Baffert's first Triple Crown race in two years.
Over the last decade, two Baffert horses -- American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018 -- swept the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, giving a starved fanbase that hadn't seen a Triple Crown winner since 1978 two equine stars.
To some, Baffert is horse racing's hero.
But Baffert was suspended from entering a horse in the Triple Crown from the 2021 Belmont Stakes through this year's Kentucky Derby after his horse Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after crossing the finish line first in the 2021 Derby (while betamethasone is legal as a therapeutic drug, it is illegal in horses on race day). The positive test was one of a series of positive tests for Baffert horses during that time.Medina Spirit was disqualified from his Derby win, and Baffert filed a lawsuit (that remains open) against the Derby's parent company looking to overturn that decision.
The dark cloud hanging over Baffert grew darker almost six hours before the Preakness Stakes.
Havnameltdown, a 3-year-old trained by Baffert, went down around the far turn of the Chick Lang Stakes and suffered a catastrophic broken left front ankle and was euthanized on the track. The trainer tweeted, "We are just devastated," and showed grief over the horse when being interviewed after the Preakness Stakes. Baffert's critics were quick to call them crocodile tears.
To some, Baffert is horse racing's villain.
So, as the Belmont Stakes approaches with Baffert entering Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure into the race, can racing followers reconcile how they feel about this figure who has been so successful and yet so controversial? And, if so, how long will that take?
Because Baffert figures to be prominent for years to come.
At 70, he is but a puppy compared to 87-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who's still actively training horses. And Baffert's long list of well-heeled owners remains by his side, providing him with an army of expensive, talented and well-bred young horses to bring to the races. Already, a 2-year-old named Mirahmadi, who has not even raced yet, has been touted as Baffert's next superstar.
In another era, perhaps people could see the gray in Baffert and not just the black or white. But in today's world the middle ground is barely more than a rumor. Fair or not, Baffert may have to spend the rest of his career trying to clear his name with his critics. And even if the evidence goes his way, he still might not silence all of the critics. That's one race he is a longshot to win.
