Kentucky Derby 2006

Barbaro scored an easy victory in the Derby (Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs) Lael Stables' homebred BARBARO (Dynaformer) took the lead leaving the far turn and dominated the final quarter-mile in Saturday's $2,213,200 Kentucky Derby (G1), recording an impressive 6 1/2-length win and completing the 1 1/4-mile classic in 2:01 1/5. Now six-for-six in his career, the beautiful dark bay delivered a breathtaking effort that was historic on several fronts. His margin of victory is the biggest in 60 years, since eventual Triple Crown winner Assault romped by eight lengths in 1946. He became the first horse in 50 years to win off a five-week layoff, the last being Needles in 1956. The Kentucky-bred colt provided owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson, trainer Michael Matz and jockey Edgar Prado with their first Kentucky Derby victory. Adding to his historic achievement, Barbaro completed a memorable transatlantic classic double on Saturday for the Jacksons, as they also bred George Washington (Danehill), who romped in the Two Thousand Guineas S. (Eng-G1), the first leg of England's Triple Crown. Barbaro is a fresh horse who figures to have plenty left in the tank for the May 20 Preakness (G1) and June 10 Belmont S. (G1). The sheer magnificence of his Kentucky Derby score makes him a very attractive candidate to become Thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

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."