Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert announced he will stable a group of horses at Churchill Downs for the spring meet, splitting his string between Kentucky and California. He cited smaller purses and fields in California as reasons for seeking more racing opportunities in Kentucky, where top-tier races like the $5 million Kentucky Derby and $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks offer lucrative purses. Baffert plans to nominate his horses to major stakes races at both Churchill Downs and Keeneland, including several graded events leading up to Derby weekend.

Baffert has several promising 3-year-olds on the Derby trail, including Potente, currently eighth on the points leaderboard, and others like Cherokee Nation and Litmus Test who will need strong performances to qualify. For the Kentucky Oaks, Baffert boasts top fillies such as Explora, who leads the points standings, along with Bottle of Rouge and Forced Entry, all likely to secure spots in the race. While Churchill Downs reopened its barns in mid-March, Baffert has yet to decide when his horses will arrive to compete in the spring meet.