Ben A. Jones, the legendary trainer for Calumet Farm in its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, and Bob Baffert are tied at six wins each in the Kentucky Derby. Baffert trained two Triple Crown winners, American Pharoah and Justify. Ben Jones would also be credited with two Triple Crown winners had he not chosen to list himself as the trainer of record for Citation in the Kentucky Derby and then designate his son Horace A. “Jimmy” Jones as Citation’s trainer in the Preakness and Belmont.
Following are Jones and Baffert’s Kentucky Derby winners:
Ben A. Jones:
Hill Gail, 1952
Ponder, 1949
Citation, 1948
Pensive, 1944
Whirlaway, 1941
Lawrin, 1938
Bob Baffert:
Authentic, 2020
Justify, 2018
American Pharoah, 2015
War Emblem, 2002
Real Quiet, 1998
Silver Charm, 1997
Baffert, at age 68, continues to attract potentially top-flight colts to his stable. Thus it would not be at all surprising to see him train a seventh Kentucky Derby winner before he retires and have the accolade of “winningest Kentucky Derby winner” to himself. If he were to have a colt win another Triple Crown, he would also surpass the other trainer with two Triple Crown wins, James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, who trained Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox in 1930 and his son Omaha in 1935.
The Baffert-trained Medina Spirit is not one of the favorites in this year’s Kentucky Derby, so a seventh Baffert win in 2021 would be an upset.
Copyright © 2021 Horse Racing Business
Recent Comments