High-stakes purchases, scratches, and family legacies at Derby | JQJO

Louisville, Ky. -- Bob Baffert's California barn received a Flightline colt purchased for $10.5 million by owner Amr Zedan after a jaw‑dropping workout at an auction in Florida fewer than two weeks ago. The colt, immediately named Zedan, is a 2-year-old that now carries high hopes of making the 2027 Kentucky Derby. Baffert, who has housed six Derby winners in Barn 33, also plans to start longshots Litmus Test and Potente on Saturday and said, "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping."

Trainers and owners described a broader strategy of buying many prospects to chase a Derby contender. Yahoo Sports identified 34 colts purchased at auctions in 2024 and 2025 for Baffert's Triple Crown program that cost $26.7 million in all. Examples include Faran, bought for $3.4 million and not yet raced, and Brant, a $3 million purchase who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity but was knocked off the Derby trail after a fifth‑place prep finish. Tom Ryan, SF Racing's bloodstock and racing manager, said partnerships often buy 20 to 22 yearlings a year and expect only a handful to develop into Derby options. He and others noted that one successful horse or a stallion prospect can recoup large sums, while many purchases find roles in other divisions or are transferred to different trainers. Ramiro Restrepo summarized the appeal by calling the Derby "the straw that stirs the drink."