Not only is trainer Bob Baffert back in the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1), he’s also bringing along Jockey Martín García.
García is returning to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby for the first time in 10 years as the jockey for Citizen Bull, the 2-year-old champion among the leading 2025 Kentucky Derby Contenders.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Garcia, a 40-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico. “It’s what every jockey wants.”
García last rode in the Kentucky Derby in 2015, finishing third aboard Dortmund behind winner American Pharoah, both trained by Baffert. This will be García’s fifth Kentucky Derby, looking for a career-defining first win.
Perfect timing resulted in Gacía getting the ride aboard Citizen Bull. In October, Baffert wanted to enter three horses in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) and needed one more rider. García happened to give the trainer a call on the morning entries were taken.
Baffert said: “I go, ‘Hey, I’m glad you called. What are you doing Saturday?”
And so it began. García guided Citizen Bull to victory in the American Pharoah, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and the Robert B. Lewis (G3) as the horse became one of the 2025 Kentucky Derby Contenders.
However, Citizen Bull ran fourth of five behind Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). García believes it was just a bad day at the office.
“I’m excited to get back, most of all because I know I have a very good horse to ride,” García said.
García’s BC Juvenile win was his fifth at the Breeders’ Cup and first since the 2016 BC Sprint aboard Defrong, also trained by Baffert.
The front-running Citizen Bull set the pace in the Santa Anita Derby, but could not deliver in the stretch.
“I think it just wasn’t his day,” García said. “Horses can be similar to people; sometimes we all have difficult days. But everybody knows he’s a superstar horse. Hopefully, we can get a good result in Kentucky.”
Citizen Bull posted a solid workout Saturday (April 18) at Santa Anita, going 6 furlongs in 1:11.80.
“He worked really good,” said García, who won the 2010 Preakness Stakes (G1) aboard Baffert-trained Lookin At Lucky. “Mr. Baffert told me to be a little off the pace. Then, in the stretch when it was time to let him run, he switched leads perfectly and started reaching out like he does. The gallop-out was also really good.”
García has been riding since 2005 and has won 1,829 races as of Sunday (April 19) and more than $111 million in purse earnings. He also rode Bayern to victory in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) for Baffert.
“I’m just really excited,” Garcií said of the 151st Kentucky Derby. “It means a lot to me.”
Baffert also has a familiar rider for Rodriguez in the Kentucky Derby – Hall of Famer Mike Smith, a two-time Derby winner aboard Baffert’s Justify in their 2018 Triple Crown sweep.
Rodriguez, the Wood Memorial (G2) winner going gate-to-wire, worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 on April 19 at Santa Anita – his first work since the April 5 win at Aqueduct.
“All went well,” Baffert said.
Baffert’s Derby duo and others he has running at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks (G1) day on May 2 and Derby Day on May 3 are scheduled to be shipped to Louisville on Tuesday or Thursday.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
