Born: Jan. 13, 1953, Nogales, AZ
Residence: Arcadia and Del Mar, CA
Family: Wife Jill, sons Bode, Taylor, Canyon and Forest and daughter Savannah
Web Site: bobbaffert.com
Racing Background: The fourth of seven children, Baffert grew up on an Arizona cattle ranch near the Mexican border and got started in the horse business grooming and galloping Quarter Horses owned by his father. After graduating from high school in 1971, Baffert took a year to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey. He won 30 races, but grew tired of trying to maintain jockey weight, so he enrolled at the University of Arizona. After a year of working different jobs following his college graduation, he put together a small string of Quarter Horses at Rillito Downs in Tucson. In 1983, he moved his operation to Los Alamitos where he trained four Quarter Horse champions, including 1986 world champion Gold Coast Express. Baffert made the transition to Thoroughbreds during the late 1980s, in large part due to the encouragement of owner Mike Pegram and Hal Earnhardt. Bob gave up his Quarter Horse division in 1991 after recording a stakes triple in the California Cup during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.
- over $140 million in earnings
- over 251 Graded stakes wins
- 8 classic winners (Silver Charm (2), Real Quiet (2), War Emblem (2), Point Given (2))
- 7 Breeders' Cup winners (Thirty Slews, Silverbulletday, Vindication, Indian Blessing, Midnight Lute (2), Midshipmen)
- 9 Eclipse Champions (Chilukki, Point Given, Real Quiet, Silverbulletday, Silver Charm, War Emblem, Vindication, Indian Blessing, Midnight Lute)
- Eclipse Award winning trainer 3 times