Barbaro blows out quarter-mile for Preakness

Barbaro blew out two furlongs on Thursday (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Undefeated Kentucky Derby (G1) winner BARBARO (Dynaformer) blew out through

the stretch on the dirt track at Fair Hill Training Center on Thursday, two days

before his date with destiny in Saturday's $1 million Preakness S. (G1).

"He blew out a quarter-mile," said trainer Michael Matz, who did not report a

clocking of the brief move that followed a one-mile gallop under assistant Peter

Brette.

Observers reported the colt traveled his last quarter-mile in :24 1/5.

If the handsome dark bay proves victorious in the 1 3/16-mile classic,

he will have the opportunity to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner in the

Belmont S. (G1) on June 10.

Barbaro is scheduled to board a van bound for Pimlico at 1 p.m. (EDT) Friday.

Barbaro will try to keep the winning going in the Preakness (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

"I'm hoping I'm good enough to beat him," Hendricks said. "(Barbaro's) done

nothing wrong. He's proven himself out to be the top three-year-old right now. I

just hope I can step up and beat him now. If I can, I'm right on top again.

That's all I can hope."

Brother Derek drew post 18 for the Derby and had a wide trip before finishing

fourth in a dead-heat with Jazil (Seeking the Gold). Hendricks, however, is

inclined to draw a line through that performance.

"We have to just throw that out and go on because it's history now," he said.

"We're just going to try to go out there and beat him. I think we're as good a

horse and, hopefully, we're a better horse. But right now, he's number one, and

we're trying to knock him off the top."

Sweetnorthernsaint will probably yield favoritism status to Barbaro Saturday (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Illinois Derby (G2) winner SWEETNORTHERNSAINT (Sweetsouthernsaint) schooled

at the gate before galloping 1 1/4 miles at Laurel Park. The Michael Trombetta

trainee was forced to begin near the back of field, then worked his way into a

contending position on the far turn, before diminishing to seventh as the

favorite beneath jockey Kent Desormeaux in the Run for the Roses.

"I expect a huge effort," Desormeaux said. "I think he can win. Barbaro may

be the best horse that ever looked through a bridle, but I would at least like

to challenge him with an unaltered trip. I did not get to challenge any horse in

the way I had hoped to challenge them as the Derby was run."

Sweetnorthernsaint will break to the immediate outside of Barbaro in

Preakness 131.

Trainer Tom Albertrani reported that Withers S. (G3) winner BERNARDINI (A.P.

Indy) walked the shedrow Thursday morning, one day after breezing five furlongs

in 1:01 1/5 over a muddy track at Belmont Park.