The big bay son of Dynaformer was undefeated. Starting his career on turf, he showed enough brilliance to be pointed towards the Triple Crown trail. Barbaro's first start on dirt was the Holy Bull Stakes on a sloppy track, where he splashed home to win strongly. Turf, dirt...it seemed to not matter for this brilliant sophomore colt. Next on the agenda was the Florida Derby.
Barbaro would face the speedy Sharp Humor, stretching out to two turns after winning the Swale Stakes, along with nine others. His main challenge would be a fast dirt track - could he carry his form over a surface that wasn't grass or muddy? More challenges faced the bay colt on April 1st - he drew the #10 post, a very unfavorable place to be in a race starting very close to the first turn.
The challenges that awaited Barbaro in this race - challenges that he would overcome - are part of the many reasons why this is my favorite of his races.
The thrilling 2005 version of the Florida Derby was one of the first races I saw on TV as a fan. I sat down again a year later, waiting for another great race to watch. Boy, did I get one. They broke from the gate and immediately Sharp Humor raced towards the lead, using his Swale speed to outpace his rivals. Jockey Edgar Prado immediately began to steer Barbaro inside, saving precious ground. The favorite took it all in stride, tucking in behind Sharp Humor a hard-held third.
Chomping at the bit, the bay colt was begging for run. Prado let him out a notch, and Barbaro took second behind Sharp Humor, who was setting solid but not blazing times up front. Those two ran one 1-2 down the length of the backstretch. As they rounded the far turn, with three furlongs to go, Barbaro made his move on Sharp Humor. Many expected the sprinter to fade in the wake of the mighty favorite. Much to their surprise, the bay leader began to fight back!
The two fought tooth and nail the length of the stretch. Barbaro had never been tested like this before - to be tested so by a horse running the race of his life was unthinkable! Bobbing heads separated the two. The crowd roared at the sight of this stretch drive. Finally, in the shadow of the grandstand, Barbaro began to pull away from the valiant Sharp Humor, winning by a half-length. Past the wire, he galloped out easily from his rival. It seemed as if he hadn't even broken a sweat in his tough battle - a foreshadowing of greater things to come? - and cantered with his head held high.
Controversially, trainer Michael Matz decided to not give Barbaro another start after this race. Doing so would place the Derby at the end of a five week layoff for the colt, which was something not often done. Maybe it was his six length domination of the championship race off of that five week layoff that we now see trainers bringing horses into the Derby off of even longer layoffs. None of them, however, has had the success in the race as Barbaro did. It might have been that, even in a star-studded crop headed by the brilliant Bernardini, that Barbaro was far and away the best of his peers.
Had Barbaro stayed uninjured and raced through the Triple Crown, this race would have given him the gut-check he needed. Seasoned champion older horses all have fought their battles and come out of them just fine. Sometimes greatness is not a triumph by open lengths. Sometimes greatness is overcoming every obstacle thrown at you, fighting a stubborn foe, and, in the end, doing all this without breaking a sweat.
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