Robert A Baffert is a racehorse trainer who trained multiple horses that won several records. Here, we will find out about Bob Baffert net worth, career, early life, and much more.
The most notable thing in his career is that he has trained American Pharoah (2015) and won the Triple Crown.
He later trained Justify, the Triple Crown winner, in 2018. Other Bob’s horses that have won records are Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derbies winning seven times, Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Oaks winning three times.
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Bob Baffert Early Life
Bob Baffert was born on January 13, 1953, in Nogales, Arizona. His family has been raising chickens and cattle for a long time.
Furthermore, when he was 10 years old, his father bought a few Quarter Horses, and Bob used to practice racing with these horses on their dirt track.
Also, in his mid-teens, he used to work for Quarter Horse races as a jockey for 100 dollars at the outskirts of Nogales.
Later Bob moved to race at legalized racks and had his first win in 1970 when he was just 17 years old.
Besides, Bob went to the University of Arizona, where he studied the Race Track Industry Program and has a Bachelor’s degree in Science.
Personal Life
Bob Baffert wife was Sherry, and together they had five children. Bob Baffert daughter is Savannah Baffert, and he had three sons, Forest, Canyon, and Taylor Baffert.
However, Bob and Sherry got divorced after seven years of being together.
Later he married Jill, a former TV reporter. The Jill Baffert net worth is about 2 million dollars. Together they have a son named Bode Baffert, born in 2004. Now Bob and his family live in California.
In early 2012, Bob had a sudden heart attack in Dubai for the “world-class” horserace at Meydan. After this incident, he took some time off and participated in horse races in late 2012.
In 2015, after Belmont won the race, Bob outlined many charities that he and Jill supported.
Following the 2015 Belmont win, Baffert outlined several charities that he and his wife Jill supported.
Career
When he was in his late teens and early 20s, Bob became a very good horse trainer and used to get hired by various trainers to run stables. On January 28, 1978, Bob’s first win was at Rillito Park, and the horse was Flipper Star.
Later in the 1980s, he moved to California and used to work at Los Alamitos Race Course. He used to work here till 1991 and trained Thoroughbreds. He rose to fame when Thirty Slews won the race at Breeder’s Cup in 1992.
Moreover, Bob earned a reputation for winning races with affordable horses. He bought Real Quiet and Silver Charm for $17,000 and $16,500, respectively.
Besides, D Wayne Lukas, another horse trainer, stated that Bob’s success is because he has an extraordinary eye for good horses and his capability to find the right horse or particular horserace.
Also, he has appeared in the TV series Take Home Chef.
2021 Statistics
He participated in 325 races and won 101 races, 1st runner up in 64 races, and 2nd runner up in 46 races. Moreover, his total earning this year is $14,142,222.
Overall Statistics
Bob participated in 13,846 races and won 3,185 races, 1st runner up in 2,356 races, and 2nd runner up in 1,906 races. Also, his total earning is $328,118,301.
Top Horses trained by Bob Baffert
Authentic
He is a colt, a Grade 1 winner at the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Also, his earning is $7,201,200.
War Emblem
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Kentucky Derby. His earning is $3,125,000.
Point Given
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Haskell Invitational H. His earning is $3,968,500.
American Pharoah
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. His earning is $8,650,300.
Game On Dude
He is a gelding, a Grade 1 winner at the TVG Pacific Classic S. Also, his earning is $6,470,543.
Mucho Gusto
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. presented by Runhappy. Also, his earning is $3,953,800.
Hoppertunity
He is a horse, and he is a Grade 1 winner at the Jockey Club Gold Cup S. His earning is $4,712,625.
Arrogate
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. His earning is $17,422,600.
Lookin At Lucky
He is a horse, and he is a Grade 1 winner at the Izod Haskell Invitational S. His earning is $3,307,278.
Justify
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. His earning is $3,798,000.
West Coast
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Travers S. Presented by NYRA Bets. Also, his earning is $5,803,800.
Charlatan
He is a colt, a Grade 1 winner at the Arkansas Derby. His earning is $4,047,200.
Real Quiet
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Kentucky Derby. Also, his earning is $3,271,802.
Captain Steve
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup. His earning is $6,828,356.
Medina Spirit
He is a colt, a Grade 1 winner at the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. His earning is $3,545,200.
Congaree
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Hollywood Gold Cup. His earning is $3,267,490.
Secret Circle
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News. His earning is $3,670,790.
Bayern
This one is a ridgling a Grade 1 winner at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The earning is $4,454,930.
McKinzie
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Pennsylvania Derby. Also, his earning is $3,473,360.
Silver Charm
He is a horse, a Grade 1 winner at the Kentucky Derby. His earning is $4,444,369.
Top Ranking Since 2010
- 2010 – 24th place by Wins
- 2011 – 19th place by Wins and 3rd place by Earnings
- 2012 – 12th place by Wins and 2nd place by Earnings
- 2013 – 21th place by Wins and 2nd place by Earnings
- 2014 – 39th place by Wins and 3rd place by Earnings
- 2015 – 55th place by Wins and 3rd place by Earnings
- 2016 -32nd place by Wins and 4th place by Earnings
- 2017 – 59th place by Wins and 3rd place by Earnings
- 2018 – 29th place by Wins and 4th place by Earnings
- 2019 – 66th place by Wins and 9th place by Earnings
- 2020 – 21th place by Wins and 2nd place by Earnings
Awards won by Bob Baffert
- Eclipse Award Outstanding Trainer in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2015
- Hall of Fame in 2009
Clients
Bob has trained many horses, including John C Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm, Prince Ahmed bin Salman’s The Thoroughbred Corporation, and late Bob Lewis’ horses.
Moreover, for Janice and Robert McNair, he has trained 2 champions, Chilukki and Grade I, who is a 5 times winner at Congaree.
Also, for his friend Mike Pegra, Bob has trained 5 horses, including Lookin At Lucky, Captain Steve, Real Quiet, Midnight Lute, and Silverbullertday. All of them are champions.
Furthermore, in 2014 Bob teamed up with Kaleem Shah to get his first win at the Bredders’ Cup Classic. The horse that played was Bayern.
Recently he has trained Arrogate for Juddmonte Farms and Zensational, Pioneer of the Nile, American Pharoah, Paynter, and Bodermeister for Zayat Stables.
What is Bob Baffert net worth
Bob Baffert net worth started rising when he earned $150,000 in 1989 for the first time. Then in 1991, he won almost $1.5 million.
However, he got much more success in 1992 when Thirty Slews won at the Breeder’s Cup. He earned $1 million from this tournament and made Bob Baffert net worth more than a million.
This was his first big break, and later he did earn a lot more stud fees and prizes.
In 2018, he made more than $11 million just by training many horses. Moreover, he was paid about $30,000 from every sprinter horses’ Solomini, Collected, and Hoppertunity.
At this time, Bob Baffert net worth was about 26-27 million dollars.
Besides, he has trained Abel Tasman and earned $100,000 from it. Also, Abel Tasman won at Kentucky Oaks. Later Ablem also won at the Acron Stakes, and he made around $70k.
As of now, Bob Baffert net worth is 30 million dollars.
Bob Baffert vs Todd Pletcher
Todd Pletcher is another American thoroughbred horse trainer. Bob and Todd are at the top in their field. Moreover, Todd has won the Trainer of the Year at Eclipse Award 7 times and 4 of them in a consecutive year. Todd Pletcher net worth is 15 million dollars.
Whenever it is about the Kentucky Derby, fans always speculate whose horse will win at the race. For this year, Todd trained Carpe Dim, whereas Bob trained Medina Spirit. For this year, Bob’s horse Medina Spirit has won the race. Let’s see what 2022 will bring us at the Kentucky Derby.
Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit incident
Medina Spirit was a Thoroughbred racehorse born on April 5, 2018. He has won the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Also, he was the 1st runner up at Breeders’ Cup Classic and 2nd runner up at 2021 Preakness Stakes.
Moreover, he was qualified for Kentucky Derby with a victory in Robert B Lewis Stakes also came at second place in Santa Anita Derby and San Felipe Stakes. At Kentucky Derby, Medina was a long shot with the post-time odds (12 – 1).
Furthermore, Medina’s win at Kentucky Derby gave Bob his 7th win and jockey John Velazquez his 4th win.
However, people were suspicious of this win after Medina was tested positive for anti-inflammatory betamethasone steroid after this race.
After this incident, Medina was 2nd runner-up at the Preakness Stakes. A few days later was the Belmont Stakes at New York, but he and Bob were suspended from participating after the drug incident at Kentucky Derby.
But later, Medina Spirit won the Awesome Again Stakes and Shared Belief Stakes and was the 1st runner up at the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Death of Medina Spirit
On December 6, 2021, Medina died when he was only 3 years old. He suddenly collapsed and then died at the Santa Anita Park, where he was doing a 5-furlong workout. His rider was not hurt. It is said that Medina’s death was caused due to heart attack.
Bob stated that he and his team were devastated by the news of Medina’s death, and he considered him one of his family members.
Later Craig Robertson, Bob’s attorney, stated that the anti-inflammatory betamethasone steroid found in Medina’s body during Kentucky Derby did not regulate properly by the Kentucky State rules.
The Kentucky State rules stated that the steroid was to treat Medina’s skin condition and was not used for better performance.
At the University of California, Medina’s body will undergo a necropsy, including tissue sampling, forensics, and toxicology.
Final thoughts
Bob has been a horse trainer for more than three decades now. Moreover, Bob Baffert net worth started to rise in 1992 when his horse won the race, and he earned 1 million dollars.
Later his horses American Pharoah and Justify won Triple Crown in 2015 and 2018, respectively. He is one of the most respected people in his work, and still today, he trains a lot of horses.
As of 2021, Bob Baffert net worth is $30 million.
