Bob Baffert Tied With Ben Jones On Kentucky Derby Record As 2026 Race Approaches
With six victories each, the two trainers stand at the same statistical mark, meaning a win for Baffert would make him the only trainer in history to secure seven Derbies.
As of 2026, trainer Bob Baffert is tied with Ben Jones for the most Kentucky Derby victories, with six wins apiece. This statistical parity was established when Baffert secured his sixth title aboard Justify in 2020, a result that matched Jones' long-standing tally and ended a 68-year record streak for the latter.
The current standing places both men as the only trainers in history to win more than five Derbies. Jones achieved his six victories between 1938 and 1952, while Baffert's wins spanned from 1997 to 2020. His 2018 victory with Justify was his most recent prior to the 2020 tie, solidifying his position as one of the sport's most successful figures at Churchill Downs.
A victory in the 2026 Kentucky Derby would see Baffert break the all-time record held by Jones. Such a triumph would make him the only trainer to win seven different Kentucky Derbies, a feat previously unattained by any individual in the history of the Run for the Roses.
Baffert's path to this potential milestone includes a significant milestone in 2015, when he won the Triple Crown with American Pharaoh. This achievement marked the first time a trainer had won the Triple Crown since 1978, highlighting the rarity of such dominance in modern horse racing.
Historical context shows that D. Wayne Lukas snapped a 51-year streak where no trainer achieved four Kentucky Derby wins, with Lukas securing four titles in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2015. While Lukas is widely regarded as one of the best trainers in recent history with career earnings of just over $300 million, Baffert and Jones remain the sole pair to exceed five victories.
Earlier record holders include Thompson, known as "Derby Dick," who became the first to win three races at Churchill Downs before adding a fourth shortly after. Fitzsimmons, or "Sunny Jim," followed closely, winning three Derbies just seven years after Thompson's initial success, while Hirsch began his trainer career at the young age of 13 after working as a jockey.
