Vindication was purchased for $2.15 million at the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale by Satish Sanan's Padua Stables of Ocala, Florida, who handed him over to trainer Bob Baffert for race conditioning.
Ridden by Mike Smith, Vindication won by 2+3⁄4 lengths over Kafwain and Hold That Tiger, the latter a highly regarded colt from Ireland trained by Aidan O'Brien.
The runaway winner in the voting for 2002 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors, Vindication was the winterbook favorite for the following spring's Kentucky Derby.
A 2003 Keeneland Magazine article by Deirdre B. Biles called Vindication "one of the hottest stallion prospects in the country.
"[1] John G. Sikura purchased a one-third interest in the breeding rights to Vindication and since 2004 the horse has been standing at stud at his Hill 'n' Dale Farms in Lexington, Kentucky.