The 2025 racing season turned out to be one of the toughest in Bob Baffert’s impressive career. After not managing to snag even one Triple Crown win—a pretty unusual thing for the Hall of Fame trainer—people started to wonder if his legendary skills were slipping a bit. As summer went on, Baffert’s luck started to change bit by bit. Seismic Beauty pulled off a gritty win in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, which hinted at a comeback. But then, everything changed with Privman’s jaw-dropping victory in Race 6 on August 9.

It looked like the race was slipping away as Privman, a 3-year-old colt named after the veteran racing journalist Jay Privman, fell behind the pack as they headed into the final stretch. In a moment that reminded everyone of Baffert’s best closers, Justify’s son kicked it into high gear, zooming past his competitors to win by a nose. The finish was so thrilling that even the most experienced bettors couldn’t help but replay it in disbelief.

For Bob Baffert, this win wasn’t just about getting back on track—it was a huge relief for everyone involved with the horse, especially Jay Privman, who had been feeling a lot of pressure leading up to the race.

“I couldn’t talk last time, Scott, when you were interviewing me before the race, because what hit me was that I first came here when I was 11 years old, my dad, and he would have gotten the biggest kick out of a horse with this name running here, and he was just a $2, the quintessential $2 better. He’d go to the track once a month with his buddies and bet $2 to win on every race, and that was it,” Privman shared how nervous he felt during a pre-race chat with Scott Hazelton, as seen on FanDuel Racing’s X post.

“So that’s what kind of hit me when we were standing here with that. But yes, to answer your question, I was anxious last time because he trained so well. I was like, boy, if he doesn’t run well this time, but he came through, and hopefully he can now move up to the next level.”

For Baffert, this win was a double win: it showed off his knack for bringing late bloomers to life and highlighted just how connected racing’s stories are with the people who are passionate about it. With tears of joy in his eyes, Privman’s namesake celebrated, and Baffert could finally breathe easy—realizing that even during a tough season, magic still unfolds where the surf meets the turf. But Baffert was feeling pretty good after snagging that historic Best Pal Stakes win at Del Mar.

Bob Baffert just loves this racetrack

Bob Baffert’s 2025 season, which hadn’t quite lived up to his usual high expectations, hit a turning point at Del Mar in early August. The Hall of Fame trainer, known for having the most wins at the Southern California track, kicked off his campaign again with a solid win in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes on August 9. Desert Gate, his two-year-old colt, really showed up to take the six-furlong race, giving Baffert his 12th win in this event.

It’s a nice comeback after a not-so-great Triple Crown season. Baffert is feeling more confident after the success at Del Mar as he sets his sights on the Travers Stakes at Saratoga coming up on August 23. Baffert referred to Del Mar as “our Saratoga,” suggesting he has big plans for the $1.25 million Grade 1 race.

He’s looking to enter Goal Oriented, a colt that came in third at the Haskell Stakes. But the Travers is going to be a tough challenge, especially with strong competitors like Sovereignty, who won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, and Journalism, the Preakness winner, in the mix.