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Barbaro blazes to historic Derby triumph
Breaking from post 8 as the 6-1 second choice in the 20-horse field, Barbaro stumbled a bit at the start but quickly recovered to secure a perfect stalking position, about two lengths behind Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory) and Sinister Minister (Old Trieste) as they passed the finish line the first time. Sinister Minister led briefly at this early stage, but Keyed Entry sprinted up the rail to show the way, getting the opening quarter-mile in :22 3/5 with a head advantage, and increased his lead to two lengths through a half-mile in :46. Entering the first turn, Prado was sitting chilly on Barbaro in fifth, and by the time they'd gone a half-mile, he was in fourth with clear sailing on the outside. They remained well off the rail in the perfect garden spot down the backstretch as Keyed Entry continued to lead the way by 1 1/2 lengths after three-quarters in 1:10 4/5. Barbaro basically pulled himself to the front of the pack midway on the far turn, and he turned what looked like one of the most competitive editions of the 132-year-old Kentucky Derby into a one-sided affair with dazzling acceleration as he approached top of the stretch. Opening up quickly on his rivals, Barbaro completed a mile in 1:37 and romped to the finish line with his massive strides. "He stumbled coming out of the gate a little bit and after that, he just took a hold and went right with the leaders," Prado explained. "He's doing everything so easy now, it was very comfortable. On the backside, I picked another hole and put him in the clear. Like I said, he was doing everything so easy, I feel even better on the backside."Every step of the way, he was running so easy, with a long hold. I wasn't even concerned about the horse in front." Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat), who tracked Barbaro in the early stages, advanced with the winner through the far turn and continued his momentum through the stretch to be a clear second -- he just had no answer for Barbaro's devastating turn of foot. Steppenwolfer (Aptitude), who trailed in 18th after the opening quarter-mile, offered a good rally for third, two lengths behind the runner-up. Finishing another length back in a dead-heat for fourth were the late-running Jazil (Seeking the Gold) and morning-line favorite Brother Derek (Benchmark). The latter turned in a very creditable effort after traveling wide on both turns and being steadied in traffic on the backstretch. Rounding out the order of finish were Showing Up (Strategic Mission), 5-1 favorite Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint), Deputy Glitters (Deputy Commander), Point Determined (Point Given), Seaside Retreat (King Cugat), Storm Treasure (Storm Boot), Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr), Cause to Believe (Maria's Mon), Flashy Bull (Holy Bull), Private Vow (Broken Vow), Sinister Minister, Bob and John (Seeking the Gold), A. P. Warrior (A.P. Indy), Sharp Humor (Distorted Humor) and Keyed Entry. "Barbaro, man, he's an amazing horse," said Robby Albarado, rider of third placer Steppenwolfer. "I was impressed. It couldn't happen to better people, Michael Matz, Edgar Prado." Matz, an Olympic equestrian silver medal winner, became the fourth consecutive trainer to train a first-time Kentucky Derby winner. "What can I say? Everybody saw it, so they know what he did," Matz said. "It's a dream come true. I've never had a horse come to the Derby, let alone win it. It's a great feeling. Good horses make good riders and good horses make good trainers." The winner paid $14.20, $8 and $6. Bluegrass Cat, who was off at 30-1, returned $28.40 and $15.40, and Steppenwolfer gave back $7.80 at 16-1. The exacta was worth $587, and the trifecta $11,418.40. The 8-13-2-1 superfecta, with 24-1 Jazil on the bottom, totaled $84,860.40, and the 8-13-2-18 combination that included 7-1 Brother Derek was $59,839. Named after a foxhound in a family heirloom painting (who in turn was named for the Italian Renaissance scholar), Barbaro was foaled on April 29 and is out of the multiple Grade 2-placed La Ville Rouge (Carson City), who was successful on both turf and dirt while earning $262,594 from a 25-6-3-4 line. He's a half-brother to the stakes-winning four-year-old colt Holy Ground (Saint Ballado) and the unraced juvenile colt Man in Havana (Quiet American). La Ville Rouge produced a full brother to Barbaro this year. The 2006 Kentucky Derby winner comes from the same female family as three-time Grade 2 hero During (Cherokee Run). Barbaro opened his racing career on the turf last October, winning a maiden special weight affair by 8 1/2 lengths at Delaware Park, and easily made the transition to stakes company next time out when taking the Laurel Futurity by eight lengths. After launching his three-year-old season with a convincing tally in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) on New Year's Day, he made his main track debut in the February 4 Holy Bull S. (G3). Racing close to the early pace over a sloppy Gulfstream track, Barbaro proved much the best through the stretch and was then freshened eight weeks for the Florida Derby (G1). He answered doubts about his ability to handle a fast track that afternoon, digging in gamely to win by a half-length, and trained sharply at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Kentucky Derby. With Saturday's $1,453,200 payday, Barbaro has now earned $2,302,200. Barbaro will now pursue the second leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico in two weeks. Matz was asked if the short span of the series (three races in five weeks) is a concern given Barbaro's light schedule this year with only prep race in the previous 13 weeks. "Well, now the table's turned, isn't it,?" Matz said, adding more seriously, "That's what we were planning for with the five weeks' rest (entering the Kentucky Derby). I don't think it's going to be a problem."
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